Jack and Rose: Their Story
by Taylor Jae
Summary: Jack and Rose have survived the Titanic, Now they're faced with something harder--living on afterward.
1. Chapter 1

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 1

Tears slid down her frozen face. They rolled onto the bridge of her nose and onto her upper lip. They tasted salty. She didn't bother to wipe them away, there would be many more, that, she was sure of. Her breathing was ragged.

She still couldn't believe it. It happened. It really happened. That horrible night was no dream. It was completely real. Her heart was broken. She couldn't help but cry. She curled up on the cold bench as the ship rocked in the North Atlantic waves. It was starting to drizzle now. She wanted so desperately to see him. What had happened to him? Was he dead? Was he alive? Was he looking for her? Was he on the ship? Was he?

_"We're gonna make it, Rose." _She could hear him say. Had he made it? Had _she _made it? With him she had. Without him, she felt so completely alone, loneliness she had never known sweeping over her. She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She wanted him to smile at her, that twinkle in his bright blue eyes flashing. She relived that night in her head. In the end, it had been worth it. She had spent it with him, the man of her dreams, and no one could take that away from her.

Jack was floating. He sat in the cold waves, hoping desperately that Rose had been saved by a lifeboat. Even if he died, he would find deep pleasure in her being safe.

OK. He wasn't in the waves. He was wrapped in a blanket sitting on a bench on the _Carpathia._ But he did want, did need her to be safe.

He could see her everywhere.

In the waves.

In the people.

In his coffee cup.

He watched the survivors as they cried, screamed for joy, stood solemn, looked for loved ones, and begged the officers to give them information.

He only wanted Rose. He didn't need money, food, shelter, clothes, anything but her. He just needed her. And only her.

TITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTIT

"May I take your name, please, love?" Rose looked up. An officer was standing above her, holding a clipboard.

"Dawson. Rose Dawson." He looked at her sympathetically. He saw in her eyes what had happened. He felt sorry for her. She quickly turned away, so he wouldn't see her cry. She shivered. Her dress from last night was so light and airy, and yet it held every drop of moisture and cold. She pulled the blanket even closer around her middle. She felt like slipping into a dream and never waking up. And that she did. She fell to the floor and blacked out.

TITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTITANICTIT

"Rose?" Jack called desperately. "Rose!" He felt like crying. _Where was she?_ His mind was screaming at him. _Shut up!_ He screamed at it. He continued walking around the steerage deck of the _Carpathia._ He needed to find her. And so he would.

After a while, while it was starting to drizzle harder, he went and sat on a bench. He felt so hopeless. He'd die without her.

He went up to an officer and said, "Excuse me, do you have a survivors list?"

"Not yet. We haven't got all the names." The officer replied.

"If you see a girl with firey red hair, and emerald blue-green eyes and a slightly tattered light airy dress, tell me."

The officer saw what happened. He gave Jack a weak smile and said, "I'll be sure to let you know." Jack walked to the railing and stared out at the sea, gloomy and gray.

He felt like screaming. He didn't want to be here. On this boat, right after an event so horrible he couldn't even cry about it. He couldn't have his parents dead. He couldn't have Frabizio dead. He couldn't have Rose missing. He couldn't have Cal threatening him to take the love of his life away from him. He couldn't have any of it. As he stared out into the foggy sea, he wondered what to do when the boat docked. That was an easy one. Look for Rose of course, maybe marry her in the process. If he did get the chance to marry her, he'd be the best husband he could be.

"For Rose." He said softly. "For Rose."

"Tea, sir?" A woman asked. She appeared to be in her late 20's and had her chesnut brown hair tied back in a loose bun. Her blue eyes shone softly.

"Yes, thank you." Jack said, taking the steaming mug. He sat on a bench, hoping to find her. Where would she be? He thought. This was steerage, which she obviously wasn't. He quickly drank his tea and went up to the non-steerage deck to look for Rose.

He searched and searched. No Rose.

He asked and asked. No Rose.

He begged and begged. No Rose.

Suddenly, he heard a cry come from the infirmary, cabin 4. He knew that cry.

He darted into the cabin and searched frantically for that firey red hair. And there she was, his Rose, sitting up in the bed, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

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Rose heard the door being quickly opened. She heard a masculine voice calling her name. She was lost in the darkness.

"Jack!" she cried. "Jack come back!" She wanted desperately to feel his comforting arms around her again. She could almost feel the rough, yet gentle texture of his hands caressing her cheek. Her hair was tangled and the curls were so faint, it was almost like there were none. She blindly reached out for feel of his arms. Hot, sloppy tears made their way down her face. Faster and faster they came with each memory of him. She still wore the dress from the night of the sinking. It wasn't so wet now, but that awful cold was still there. It would always be there. For each day on, that awful memory would be with her, and so would that cold.

"Jack, save me! Please! I love you! Save me, Jack! Save me…..."

A few hours later, Jack was sitting next to Rose. She slept. He held her hand.

"How is she?" A nurse asked. She had light brown hair and celery green eyes. She smiled weakly at him.

"Still sleeping." He looked worried.

"Don't worry, Jack. She'll wake up. Just give her time.

Meanwhile, why don't you have some soup?" She placed a bowl of steaming hot soup in his hands. Along with bread and milk. Jack sighed. Oh how he wished she'd wake up! If she had died, he would feel dead. Did he feel dead? Was he dead? Did he feel tranced? Did he feel loved? Did he feel at all?

He rested his head carefully on her shoulder as he dozed off into a fitful slumber.

2:00 A.M.

He awoke suddenly, a nightmare plaguing him.

"_Rose?" He whispered. "Rose? Are you awake?" A light came then, blinding him. He could hear the water moving and he remembered where he was. He looked around and saw people floating in the water. He shivered. He shook Rose. _

_"Rose!" He gasped desperately. He then felt himself being watched. The boat had come to him. "Take her first." He instructed. They gently lifted Rose into the boat and then helped him swing over the edge. _

_He saw Rose's eyelids flutter open. She smiled at him. "Come Josephine, in my flying machine. Going up she goes." She sang to him. He smiled down at her. _

_All of the sudden, he felt a sudden lurch and a strong, hard wave hit them. He saw Rose lifted off the boat and hovering over the water, as if being carried. "Jack!" He heard her scream. _

_"Rose!" He screamed back. "Rose, come back! I love you! Don't leave me! Please don't leave me!" She couldn't leave him, could she? No!_

_But she did._

He was sweating now. Breathing hard, he glanced at the sleeping beauty beside him. Relief flooded through him. She hadn't left him. He lowered his head gently and kissed her cheek. She shivered. He pulled the blankets close to her and snuggled her in them. He never wanted her to feel that cold. Not ever. He felt like he might cry. On Titanic, he'd always hid emotions, especially in the sinking, because he needed to be strong for Rose. Now was one of those times. He needed to love her and take care of her and respect her. But he knew he didn't have to.

He already did.

The next morning, Rose awoke.

"Oh, thank God." She heard Jack murmur as he hugged her. She allowed her body to sag into his.

"Oh, Jack." She cried. A sob escaped her chest and she allowed herself to cry. She pressed herself against him as he held her tighter.

"Shh" Jack soothed. "Everything will be all right, Rose." That ocean won't hurt you again." He kissed the top of her head. Big sloppy tears rolled down her cheeks and onto his shirt. She hoped that was OK. He gently held her and kissed her. He loved her with all his heart and he would never, ever let her go.

"Shhh. Don't cry. I love you too much to see you cry." She finally looked up at him.

"Jack I-I-I…" She collapsed against him, sobbing. He scooped her up and sat with her on the bed.

"Rose, I love you." He whispered in her ear. "I love you with all my heart and soul."

"I love you too, Jack." Rose choked out. The tears in her eyes glistened. She smiled. It was faint, very faint, but it was there, and that was what mattered most.


	2. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next evening, the ship docked in New York harbor.

Jack held Rose close to him as they made their way off the ship, thousands of reporters trying to get a word on the disaster. One reporter reached out and grabbed Rose's arm.

"Miss? Miss would you care to tell us your story?"

"Leave me alone." Rose said, glaring at the reporter.

"Oh, but Miss. Please Miss?" As they started to walk away, the reporter grabbed Rose and held her down.

"Let go of her!" Jack yelled. Tears welled in her eyes. It made his heart hurt to see her cry.

"One question, Miss? Please?"

"Let go of her!" Jack screamed. The tears started to fall now. He wrenched her free of the reporter's grip and held her close to him. The tears fell onto the rough texture of his shirt. She turned her face into his shoulder and cried. He pushed her hair back and soothed her. Then he easily scooped her up and headed toward the hotel that was allowing the Titanic survivors to stay for free.

Once inside their room, Jack gently laid her down on the bed. The remaining tears blurred her vision, but she knew he was there. He carefully laid next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her good-night.

"I love you, Rose." He whispered.

"I love you too, Jack." She snuggled closer to him and soon fell fast asleep, in her true love's arms.

The next morning, Rose awoke to sunlight streaming through the window. She lay there, thinking. She turned and saw Jack, his arms around her, sleeping peacefully.

"Come Josephine, in my flying machine. Going up she goes. Up she goes." Rose sang softly. Jack awoke then, his blue eyes opening.

"Up she goes…" He sang. He kissed her softly and she weakly smiled. He flashed his adorable smile at her. Her smile broadened. He pushed her soft curls back out of her eyes. Rose got out of Jack's grasp and edged off the bed. But when her feet hit the floor, her legs turned to Jell-O and she fell. Jack was quickly beside her.

"Are you alright?" He whispered. His eyes shone with worry.

"Yes. I'm not used to being on land, I guess." She whispered. Her voice was small.

"Can you make it?" He whispered back.

"Yes." She whispered. "I can make it."

"Here, let me help." She didn't say anything, so he held her hand as she made her way to the bed. She sat down as a memory came to her.

_They were floating on driftwood. She, lying on the board, and Jack, holding onto the side of the door. He touched her ice-encrusted hair. She shivered at first at his touch, but then a warm sensation flooded through her. It lasted only a minute, but how wonderful that minute was! _

_"We're gonna make it, Rose." He stammered through chattering teeth. She knew he was cold. She wished the door could be big enough for the both of them. But it wasn't. And yet, she felt touched that Jack would go in the freezing water, allowing her to be warmer than him. Her eyelids were drooping. She couldn't fall asleep. She knew where that would get her. She shivered. _

_"I'm so tired." She whispered through shivers._

_"Hold on, Rose. Just let the boat pick us up, then you can sleep all you want." He meekly smiled at her. She smiled back. _

_"Thank you for saving me, Jack." _

_"Anything for you, my beautiful Rose." _

"Rose?" Jack was calling for her. "Rose?" She was pulled out of her trance. "Rose?"

"I'm here, Jack." She said, her voice barely audible. "I'm here." He hugged her tight. She allowed herself to sag into his. She smelled his scent. She closed her eyes and breathed it in, hoping never to forget that scent. He smiled down at her. She smiled back. They were alive! They were together! They would make it! They would! He pulled her into a passionate kiss. He could feel her lips curling up into a smile within the kiss. That made him happy. Very happy. She was the first to pull away.

"I hate to say this, but I'm hungry." She said.

"Shall we go eat?" He asked. She smiled.

"Indeed we shall."

They walked down to a small café and had breakfast.

During the breakfast, he could see Rose's eyelids drooping. She was exhausted, he knew that for sure. So, without even finishing his own breakfast, he gently scooped her up and carried her back to the hotel.

Once there, he laid her gently on the bed, snuggled her in with blankets and turned off the light. He sat near the window, where light was streaming in, and thought. Every once in a while, he would glance back at Rose and smile.

She stayed sleeping until the next morning when something she thought was over, came right back to haunt her.

She was alone. Jack had left the room to go around the corner to get the newspaper. She edged carefully off the bed. She slowly walked over to the chair where the light airy dress lay over the back of it. She grabbed it when all of the sudden she felt the floor move beneath her. She fell to her knees, sobbing and holding the dress. She buried her face in the dress and cried. She could hear those screams. She could feel the cold water against her body. She could smell the strong scent of blood in the water. She could hear Cal calling for her and calling for her and him hitting her. Her neck jerked to the side as if he had hit her all over again. Tears squeezed out of her eyes still as she closed them, in order to shut the horrifying memories out of her mind. She held the dress close to her, taking in its watery smell. She carefully touched it with her fingertips as her tears fell upon the dress's airy fabric.

Jack arrived now. Seeing his true love crying broke his heart. He ran over to her.

"Oh, Rose." He breathed, tears forming in his own eyes. "I'm so sorry. I should've been here." She didn't say anything. She sobbed into his chest, as he held her. He kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry, honey." He said into her hair. She looked up at him now.

"I c-can still hear th-those awful screams. That c-cold water. Oh, Jack. I-I-I…" She fell into his embrace. He gently pushed her curls back.

"I love you, Rose." He whispered. "I love you."

"I-I could've l-lost you that night, Jack. Stay w-with me please." She sobbed. "Please, stay with me." In his tender grasp, he could feel her body shaking severely. He held her tighter.

"Don't worry, Rose." He breathed, his head still in her curls. "I'll never, ever leave you. Not ever."

"I love you, Jack." She said softly.

"I love you, too, my sweet flower."

The next week, they got married. It was a small church and not many people attended, and it wasn't anything like the wedding her mother was planning for her and Cal, but it was much better that that wedding would've been. She was marrying her one true love, and that was all she could've ever asked for.

The wedding got Rose thinking about her mother. _Where was she? _She wondered.

"Jack?" she asked the morning of April 22, 1912.

"Yeah, hon?" He paused in his newspaper to look up at her.

"Jack, when you were looking for me did you ever happen to see my mother?"

"No. Why?"

"I'm just curious as to where she is, that's all."

"We could look for her, you know." He said.

"I don't that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" He asked.

"I'm afraid she'll drag me away from you and back to my old horrible life." She took a deep breath to steady her thoughts. The words _old life_ made her think of Titanic and how she'd tried to escape from her horrible life by jumping.

"She can't do that."

"Jack, she's my mother. I think she's allowed to do that."

"But you're married to me now, Rose. She can't officially rake you away from me. And", he said smiling at her. "I wouldn't want her to. I couldn't live without you by my side."

"Me either." She said wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

He thought a moment before he spoke. He chose his words carefully. He had to say it sometime. And, even though he knew what pain it was going to cause her, he had to say it anyway. It wasn't fun, and it wasn't going to be easy, but he had to.

"I don't want you to cry anymore." He whispered. "I love you too much to see you cry." Tears of both happiness and sadness welled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be sorry, Rose. I know how much that hurts." He paused, then continued. "I'm glad you release your feelings somehow."

"You _do_ know how much that hurts, don't you?" He nodded.

"I also know that no matter what we do, Titanic will never go away. It was a huge experience that'll live with us forever." He said it quietly.

"I think that's what hurts the most, the fact that'll never go away." She said, her voice choked from upcoming tears. He wrapped her up in a hug, while she started to cry. Once they'd pulled away, he lifted her chin with his finger, so she was looking right into his eyes.

"I'll be here for you, Rose." He whispered softly. "I'll always be here for you."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jack and Rose were very, very happy together. Nobody

knew anyone so much in love as those two. They moved into an apartment, near New York harbor. Jack had a job at an art gallery, doing portraits, while Rose stayed home. The job brought in plenty of money, and despite her previous up-bringing, that made Rose feel very safe.

All of their belongings went down with the ship, so, one beautiful early May afternoon, just a few hours after they'd moved in, Jack decided they needed to go shopping. When asking Rose about this, he was careful not to use the words "down with the ship." He knew it could, and would, trigger memories, horrible, painful memories, and he didn't want to put her though that.

"Sure." She said, smiling, "That sounds like a great idea." On the walk over to the store, he saw her constantly glancing at her wedding ring. She'd look up at him and smile. It made him feel all warm inside to know that she loved him so much. He secretly smiled when he saw Rose looking at her ring again.

When they reached the shop, Rose bought her items and Jack bought his items. Then, they bought the big items, like a bed and furniture, and other house necessities, together.

They used the money Rose had found in her coat pocket. It was Cahl's money, she knew, but no use to waste it. She decided to keep the Heart of the Ocean. Not because it was given to her on Titanic, but because Jack had drawn her wearing it. And that made it special. Very special. It was sitting in a small square box, with newspaper all around it. She had never looked at it since the day she'd pulled it out of her pocket, along with the money.

Suddenly, a man with black hair, shining with hair gel, and wearing a finely tailored suit, came into her view. Rose knew that man. Jack had spotted him, too. He was immediately at Rose's side, his arm around her waist. She snuggled into him as the man came closer.

"Come along, Rose." His accent was fine and rich. He tugged at her arm. "Come on, Sweetpea." His voice was a little tough and louder this time. And he tugged the tiniest bit harder. But, Jack held on to her. He didn't squeeze or suffocate her, he held in a grip which was both protective and safe, yet hard and firm. She wanted to turn her head into her husband's chest, but she didn't. Instead, she held her head high and firm.

"No, Cahl. I'm not going with you."

"Did you hear me? I said no." His voice was loud. She made a face like her ears hurt. He ripped her arm out of Jack's grasp. A small cry escaped her chest. "No! I said No!" He yelled, tearing her out of the store, her arm feeling numb.

"Jack!" She screamed.

"Rose!" He ran after her. He tackled Cahl to the ground. Rose was crying now. He felt horrible.

"Come on, honey." He said gently. "Let's get you home." He scooped her up, and holding his precious wife against him, they left, leaving Cahl alone. Utterly, and completely alone.

A few days later, after they had moved all their things in the right places, they sat together, wrapped in each other's arms, on the couch. Rose laid her head on his chest. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Did that even happen?" She barely whispered. He knew what she meant.

"Yes." He whispered into her hair. "It really did happen."

"Only 10 days ago." She breathed. She did not want to cry. She blinked the tears back. She could feel his grip on her tighten as the conversation got harder to talk about. Somehow, he'd always seemed to sense what she needed, and she loved him for it. She turned her head into his chest. She opened her mouth. No sound came out. It was more like a gurgle than a word.

And then, the tears came, faster and faster, with each memory surrounding her. He felt like crying, too. Tears formed in his eyes, but he didn't let them drop.

"Shh. I'm here now." He soothed gently. "I love you too much to see you cry." That made her cry harder. He hated himself for making her sadder. But then again, he liked that she released her pain somehow. And he held her as she cried, and he let her cry. She had to get the pain out. She finally looked up at him.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"Don't be sorry, Rose." He whispered.

"I know it upsets you when I cry."

"It doesn't hurt me when you cry; it hurts because I can't take the pain away. I can't do anything for you."

"You could love me." She said. "But, I know you already do, and you don't know how much that means." He hugged her. She loved him so much, so very much, that she was willing to risk her own life for their love. Jack turned his face gently into hers and kissed her softly. She smiled within the kiss, and they ended up laughing. He didn't say, "Just like that night." Again, he knew it would only trigger memories, and, at that moment, that was _not_ what she needed.

She awoke, screaming.

"Jack! Save me, Jack!" She screamed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was sweating and she never once in her life had felt so terrified. Jack's arms immediately went around her. She was shaking terribly. He felt so horrible. He needed to take the pain away for her, but he couldn't. She felt like she couldn't breathe, with the tears painfully clogging her throat. She was drowning. She was dying here, memories were killing her, he knew. He felt tears drip down his face. He let then flow freely.

"Oh, Rose." he whispered. "Oh, Rose." She didn't say anything. "I wish I could take the pain away for you." She knew this was true, and she loved him for it. She gulped the tears back. She buried her tears-streaked face in his chest. Her voice was shaky. Her body was cold and she felt like a ghost. Her breathing was shaky and shallow. It pained him to see her thin body shake so badly. A sob escaped her chest. She couldn't hold it in anymore. He pressed her against him as she started to sob. Her sobs came out ragged, and that scared him. She cried and cried. And sometime near dawn, she finally lay back down, with his arms safely around her. He knew just how safe she felt when he was there, and how safe she felt when his arms were around her. Her breathing was shaky as she fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning, she awoke to silence.

"Jack?" she called out. "Jack?"

No answer.

She sat up nervously. He usually never left in the mornings, except for the paper, and even then, he was usually back by now. _Where was he? _She wondered frantically. She took two deep breaths. She couldn't freak out yet. She had to stay clam. _The line is probably just long for the paper_, she thought. OK. She wasn't buying it, neither was her mind. She got up slowly, her ears aching from the terrible silence that hung about the room. She put her hands to her temples to make the pain go away. She sat on the edge of the bed, carefully, and waited for Jack. She looked at her ring finger. Her wedding ring sparkled in the sunshine. She smiled. Then, she remembered what was happening, and the smile disappeared. Her knees began to go shaky. _I never thought I could freak out so badly. _She swallowed. She closed her mouth, afraid tears might come out. She couldn't cry now. She didn't want to cry now. She wanted to be strong. She didn't want to give into the struggle. She knew Jack would let her, and with him, she would. But when she was alone, she was stubborn.

Slowly, slowly, slowly minutes passed by. It seemed like hours. She began to get fidgety. She paced back and forth in front of the window. In the minute where she was ready to go completely crazy, Jack arrived. Paper in hand, he came over to Rose. Her eyes were full of worry.

"What's wrong?" His voice was quiet.

"I thought you left me." Her voice was quiet, too. Quiet and small. She felt small, too, standing there next to him.

"My beautiful flower, I could not and will not, ever, _ever _leave you." His voice was calm. And she loved him for it. She thought he'd get annoyed with her shakiness, and her worriness, her crying, and needing him all the time, but he didn't. He knew, and had experienced, what had made her this way, and he was always patient.

He knew that she was terribly afraid, and after losing her father, had never had someone love her. He loved her, though. And he always would. She had no idea how badly he needed her, how much he needed her love, her support, her calmness, her sense of fun. He felt like sweeping her up and taking to Santa Monica, and showing her the beauty of the world, and all it had to offer. The world had looked so big and wonderful before, and it had been, but his life without Rose looked so bleak, he was almost afraid of it. He hugged her tight, while he watched her stare off into space, looking straight ahead. He knew that a man his age was one who spent his time in bars, and having girlfriends, being tough and strong.

Not Jack.

Jack was strong, but he also had a wife, and he was calm and sensitive now. He needed to be. For Rose, he would be anything, and he would love it. He kissed the top of her head, and smoothed her hair.

He knew that he had been tough and strong, and so had his voice. Ever since Titanic, though, his voice had become quiet and calm, as to take her away from that horrific night. He, too, was hurting after that night, but he could never let her know that. It would only worsen the pain, and he hated to do that to her. He wouldn't do that to her. Would not. Could not. Could not and would not. Never ever would he do that. Never ever would he want to do that, either. He could hear his wife's tear filled breathing. Ever since that night, her breathing had been shaky and shallow. And that was starting to scare him.

Her breathing sped up and he held her tighter. She couldn't get words out. She didn't know what was happening.

"Jack!" She cried frantically. She felt the floor move beneath her. His voice was fading, in and out, in and out, her ears were ringing, and sound was taking up too much space in them. Her mind was racing, and everything seemed to spin. She felt like crying and screaming and running, all at the same time. She felt his arms go around her and hold her. She could hear him calling her name, and calling her name. She couldn't respond. She was stuck. She needed to get out of this.

"Jack!" She cried out again. "Jack, please save me. Please, Jack. Please save me." His face grew blurry as she let the tears fill her eyes. She blinked them back hard, but they fell. She bowed her head, and sobbed raggedly.

She didn't know why she was crying so much. She'd never cried much. When her father died, she cried, but otherwise she'd remained fairly solid. She didn't know why her heart was letting her do this. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Her body shook with each hiccupped sob, and he winced inwardly. He hated Titanic for doing this to her, and yet he loved it, because it brought him to Rose. He didn't want to say "Rose, look at me." If he did, he'd see the horrible truth in her eyes. Titanic had ruined her life. It had left its mark, and it was a permanent one.

She felt like getting up and running away. She felt like being with her father, which she knew she could not, and that made it feel even worse. She hated herself for letting her father into this, when she knew it would just make things even worse than they already were.

She wasn't a crier, or she hadn't been anyway. She remembered. It had been her sixteenth birthday, Christmas Eve, and her father's death. And all in one day. One awful, awful day. She remembered the feel of his cold, delicate hand in hers as he tried to make his last conversation with her. She remembered the tears clogging her throat, only clearing enough for her to say, "Yes, father." And "I love you, Daddy." She did love her daddy. Honestly she did. She needed him as much as she needed Jack. A least she had one of them. Why was she yearning for him so badly? She had Jack, right? Wasn't he supposed to be enough? Why, all of the sudden, wasn't he? That thought scared her. Jack was enough. He had been, always would be. Why was she wanting her father so badly? Titanic would've sunk then, is that it? He could've made the iceberg disappear? No. Then, _why_?

"Jack?" Rose whispered. Her breath was sharp and pinched. Tears clogged her throat again. Looking at him, into his eyes, she suddenly wanted to sink into him and stay there forever. She wanted to be with him forever. She knew she did.

"Yes, Rose?" His answer was quiet. He didn't hurry up and say anything. He waited for her to speak. He couldn't ruin this for her; he couldn't make it worse by saying something. He wouldn't do that.

"Hold me." She whispered. "Oh please, please hold me."

Over the nest few days, Rose was very fragile, physically as well as emotionally. Jack did everything she kindly asked of him. He would do anything for her. She wasn't mean, or snotty, or demanding, she was sweet. Not in a pitiful way but in a Rose way. It was just the way she was. And he loved her for it.

He was sitting with her on the bed, smoothing her hair back gently as she slept.

It was two in the morning.

He should be asleep, too. But he couldn't. Not with Rose like this. He loved her too much to leave he like that. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. He rubbed his knuckles together. He rolled over on his back and stared at the somewhat high ceiling that loomed above him. Some nights it seemed so far away. And other nights, like tonight for example, it seemed to be pressing down on he and Rose so tightly they could barely breathe.

He thought about Rose. She had never been this bad before. When she had cried, it had only been for a minute and nothing more. Now, she cried all the time. He felt so angry at himself because, even as her husband, he couldn't take the pain away for her. He desperately wanted to, but he couldn't. He put his head against the headboard and cried. He cried for Rose, for himself, for all the people aboard Titanic, and for Rose some more.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Jack?" Her voice sounded faraway and alone. It was like she was in a long tunnel, that took him miles to reach her.

Luckily, it only took him a few feet to get from the window to the bed, where his beloved wife was sitting up, a look of fright creeping into her emerald eyes. Suddenly, he wanted to hold her and hold her and hold her, and never, ever let go. He wanted her to cry and for him to soothe her and him to be able to say, " Everything's going to be alright, sweetheart", so he could try to make himself believe it, when he didn't know if it was true or not. Instead, he dragged his weary body over to the bed and hugged Rose, in a way that said "Whatever it was, whatever is that's eating at you, I'm here now, and nothing will ever hurt you again." Even though, he was lying to himself. She was already hurt; he hadn't stopped the hurting from that, had he? No. That's why he felt so ashamed of himself.

He was her husband! He couldn't stand back and watch Titanic eat away at the girl he loved most in the world! Was he doing that? Was there something more that could be done for her? He needed to know. He had to find out. He needed to be sure she was in the best care possible. He had to make sure she was safe.

His voice was a low rumble in his chest.

He could her scent. Her lovely, beautiful scent.

He kissed her tenderly, and wondered how in the world he had gone from living on the streets and talking smack, to getting sappy and loving someone so much, his heart would break if they went away? And all in 11 days!

But-he had gone through a shipwreck with this girl. Could that count? Was he allowed to love someone after that? Did it even matter? Did he even care? _Stop it, _he scolded himself. _This is stupid. _He knew it was. He felt like a fool.

Oh, how he loved her. There wasn't anyone in the entire universe that loved someone as much as he loved Rose. He kissed her again. A small smile spread across her face and his own face lit up. He was a goon, he knew, for falling so hopelessly in love, but it was all worth it. She leaned up and kissed him. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips and he smiled within the kiss, which tickled her lips and made her laugh. He laughed, too. He hadn't laughed like that since the night of the third-class party. He remembered Rose standing on her toenails and impressing them all, which made him even more lovesick. He remembered the way he'd held her during the dance and how she hadn't turned away or ran. He remembered how happy that made him. That a girl like Rose could love a guy like him. Some days, he couldn't believe it was true. That they had gone through a shipwreck together, he had drawn her, and took her to the stars, and yet, still here they were, together, in love, and happy. He hugged her. And breathed in her lovely Rose scent. He wanted to sink into her and stay there forever. He'd take her to the stars and love her for all she was, and all she wasn't. He knew Rose felt the same way, and that was half the reason he loved her so much: That she actually loved him as much as he loved her. That had never happened to him before. He'd never been in love like this before, and it felt wonderful. He smiled at her. She smiled back. It was faint, but it wasn't fake. _Rose, what's happening to you? _He wanted to ask. _Why did Titanic have to do this to you? I hate that its happening to you. I'll still love you. I'll love you until the day I die, and even from then on. _He was a goon, he knew, for being this hopelessly in love, but he didn't notice. Ok, yes he did. But, he didn't care as much as he thought he would've.

"Jack." When she said his name, he turned to her.

"Yes, my beautiful flower?"

"Jack, I'm sorry." She said it simply, yet truly, like it wasn't supposed to be a big deal, but that she was really and truly sorry. But it was a big deal. To him, it was a very big deal.

"Sorry? Rose, what in the world do you have to be sorry for?"

"For all the crying I've done and all the shakiness and worries and needing you all the time. I'm your wife. Wives aren't supposed to act like that. That's why I'm sorry."

"Oh, Rose." The gentle way he said her name made her want to cry. "No." he said. "No, no, no. There is absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, there is. I just told you."

"No, what I mean is, you don't have to feel sorry for that. I went through it, too. I know what you're feeling." He made sure to say _it. _He could put her through all that pain again.

"Jack", she said again, "I'm your wife. I'm acting like a little girl." Why couldn't she see grieving was an OK thing? She was beating herself up inside over something that's completely normal in that kind of situation.

"Rose, after something like that happens, it's OK to grieve. It's OK to cry. It's OK to be shaky and worried. It's OK to need me. It's OK. Grieving is a part of life." And, immediately, he regretted his words. Seeing the look on her face made his stomach churn into tight, tight knots.

"I know what grieving is." She said it softly, yet it cut through the center of his brain like a knife. She was close to tears. "I know very well what grieving is." He didn't quite know what she was talking about. He thought he knew, but he didn't want to say it out loud. In case he wrong, it could trigger other memories, and in case he was right because it might, no he knew, it was going to make her cry. She'd told him all about it during one of their many long, long talks aboard the ship. He was glad she had been so open to him. It showed him love, as sad as the topic was. It almost made her cry there too.

"I grieved the loss of my father fully. I know what grieving is." She ducked her head, so he wouldn't see her cry.

"Oh, Rose", he said softly. He wrapped her up tight in his arms and let her have a good, long cry.

The next few days, Rose was extremely quiet. She didn't have anything to say, really. So, she didn't say anything.

Jack was still continuing his job at the art gallery, doing portraits. One day, he had an idea. He didn't know how Rose would re-act to it, but he wanted to try it out anyway.

"Rose?" Jack said the next evening. He was gripping his portfolio so hard his knuckles were white.

"Yes, Jack?" Rose turned to look at him.

"Rose, I was wondering if….if I could….if I might….d-dra—"

"Jack, it's alright. Just say it…OK?"

"Rose, how would you feel if I drew you?"

"Drew me? Like a portrait?" He nodded. "I'd love that, Jack."

"As 'one of my French girls'?" She stopped. She turned to him. She was silent for so long that he thought she might say no.

"Yes, Jack. Yes." She said. "You may draw me."

He brought the couch over in the good light. It was dusk now. The sun was just beginning to set, spraying pink and purple and blue and orange, in one great mixture, into the sky. He sat, just as on Titanic, in a chair across form the couch. He sharpened his lead pencil, and got it ready to draw. He took out the gravely drawing paper. He was ready.

Rose came out into the room slowly. Just from looking at her, he could tell she was a completely different girl than he'd seen that last time he was about to draw her. She was wearing a thin, silky robe. She wasn't flirtatious, like the last time, but she was smiling. And that, Jack knew, was already a good sign. She slipped off the robe, revealing herself to him, yet again. He was completely comfortable with her this time.

He said clearly, "Right here, Rose. Lay down. There. Atta girl." She laid down flat on her back, and turned up one side of her body. She turned her face to him, smiling a gentle smile.

"Is this right?" Rose's question was quiet.

"Yes. Very good, Rose." He looked at her. "All ready?" She nodded.

And so it began.

Jack drew and drew. He drew her, laying there, in the soft glow of the light. He drew every inch of her. Every beautiful, amazingly wonderful inch. He couldn't believe it, but it was like she'd become even more beautiful.

Towards the end of the drawing, Rose asked, "Am I doing it right?" He knew what she meant.

"Yes, Rose. You're doing beautifully."

"Are you sure?" He saw she was biting her lip like crazy.

"Yes." He said it gently.

"Are you positive?" Her voice was wavery. Her lip was quivering. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He went over to the couch. He knelt down to her, until she sat up. Then, he got up and sat on the couch next to her. He put his arm around her.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" His voice was soft and hoarse. He hated to see her so sad.

"Why won't Titanic just leave us alone?" She was half-crying, and he knew the real tears weren't far away.

"Oh, honey" he said pulling her close to him.

"It's just—when you drew me tonight—it suddenly brought everything back."

"Oh, Rose, I'm so, so sorry." He felt like crying. The very last thing he wanted was to make her remember that awful night. He had only done it to try to make her feel better, not worse. But that's what he ended up doing.

He pulled her gently into his arms, pulling her robe around them both, and they let themselves cry. Together, they cried. Together, they remembered.

"Oh, God" Rose sobbed. "Oh, God. I can't do this. I really, really can't. Titanic had to go and wreck everything, didn't it? Why'd it have to do that? Why'd it have to go and sink? It made a lot of lives miserable, you know." She was getting mad now. She hated Titanic. She _hated_ it. She felt like screaming. Like screaming at the top of her lungs until her throat was so hoarse she could barely breathe. The anger was building up behind her eyes so hard she thought she might burst. And, it was giving her a headache.

Jack could see the anger growing. He couldn't let her go. He had to help her come back to reality. He turned her face to his and kissed her. The kiss was intense, hopefully intense enough to help her see reality again.

It was.

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry. I just get so angry sometimes."

"I do too, Rose. Some days, I love Titanic, because it brought me to you. Other days, I hate it because it killed Fabrizio, and it made you so sad." Tears fell down her face again. Her head dropped into his lap. He stroked her hair while she cried, murmuring things like, "It's OK, sweetheart", and "remember how much I love you", and "I love you too much to see you cry."

She cried for a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Some people might have thought that Rose was being

stupid for crying all the time. And, some people might have thought that it was dumb that Jack was letting her go on that way. But, Jack knew in his heart that she was still so terribly afraid, that everything could come back or happen all over again, that she couldn't stop crying. Getting off the _Carpathia_, Rose was a completely different girl. Jack still loved her for the girl she once was, but he loved the new Rose, too. Even though the new Rose cried and couldn't get over Titanic, he knew she was so much more than that, and he loved her like crazy.

A few years have gone by, and it is now 1916, four years after Titanic. And, Jack and Rose have welcomed two editions to the Dawson family, four-year-old Elizabeth, who they already know has Jack's knack for drawing, and two-year-old Anastasia, better known as Annie. Both girls have blonde hair, like Jack, and Rose's beautiful emerald eyes. They still live near New York Harbor, and Jack still does portraits at the art gallery.

"Jack?" Rose called from the bedroom one morning.

"Rose?"

"Could you get the girls up?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

He went to Elizabeth's room first.

"Hey, Lizzie," Jack said softly. "Time to wake up." Elizabeth bounded out of bed and hugged him.

"Oh, Daddy, can we draw today?" She already knew she was good at drawing and she loved to practice.

"Sure, Liz", he said, secretly smiling at her. "But first, let's wake up your sister. The two crept to Annie's room, where they found her standing up in her crib. When Jack scooped her up, she flung herself at him, saying baby-words into his shirt.

The trio inched toward the kitchen, met with a few minor set-backs. 1 Annie needed to be changed, 2 Elizabeth had to go back and grab her sketch book, and 3 both girls felt a strong desire for them, and them alone, to hold Jack's hand.

So, by the time they arrived in the kitchen, Rose was at the stove, already making breakfast. She slid three plates across the table to Jack and the girls. The girls settled in their chairs to eat, but Jack got up out of his chair and went over to the stove. Rose was stirring the breakfast around with a spoon. Jack gently took the spoon and laid it on the spoon tray.

"Why, Ja-ack" Rose said, turning to him, surprised. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her fiercely. Her arms wrapped around his neck as the kiss grew more and more intense. They hadn't had a kiss like this in forever, since, probably, Jack "took her to the stars" in the back of the car on Titanic. His kisses now were softer, gentle, more as a comforting thing, usually when she was crying, than a pleasurable thing, like this kiss. It was nice. And, Rose was just sinking into his body and vowing never to leave there, when Elizabeth, along with Annie, who had no idea what was going on, squealed an "Ew!" The lovers broke apart and laughed. Oh, it was so nice to her laugh again!, Jack thought.

After breakfast, Rose sat next to Jack with a book, blocks for Annie, and two sketch books for Elizabeth and Jack.

"See this line, Liz", Jack was saying. "It makes it seem as though you're suggesting the apple. Now, shade in lightly. Very lightly. Shade in right—"

"Jack, she's only four."

"Don't look at me. Lizzie's the one who wanted to draw. And", he said, "She's got it almost perfect."

"I do, Daddy? Really?" Elizabeth looked awed.

"Perfect, Liz", he said. "Simply perfect."

His life was much more than he could have ever hoped for. Perfect wife, perfect daughters. Life was, as he said, simply perfect.

A few more years have gone by. It is now 1926. Elizabeth is now 14 and Annie, or Annalei On-a-lay, lee, as Jack calls her, is 12.

It's still hard for Rose. She still wakes up, screaming out into the night. She still is sensitive. The remembering is still hard. Jack knew that it wouldn't go away for a long, long time. Years even. It was, is, something that will never, ever go away. Rose sometimes still feels stupid for crying. Jack reassures her that it's OK. That grieving is OK. After having the girls, she's been better, but it's still there. It will always be there.

One evening, after supper, Elizabeth and Annie found their way into the closet, the one that was kept locked. The one that held a trunk of Titanic items salvaged.

Rose and Jack were in the bedroom.

And, they came out to find Elizabeth and Annie wearing Rose's Titanic dresses and jewelry. They looked at themselves in Rose's slightly cracked, but still good, silver hand mirror.

All the color drained from Rose's face as she looked at her daughters.

"_Where did you get this?" _Jack stood beside his wife, strong and firm. The girls fidgeted.

"Answer your mother, girls."

"In the closet", Elizabeth stammered.

"It was locked!" Rose exclaimed. "How did you get in?"

Annie guiltily held up the bobby pin.

"Get it off. Put it all away."

"Jeez, mommy", Elizabeth said.

"I said 'put it all away'"

"Mama, why do you hate us wearing this stuff? It's so neat", Elizabeth protested.

"Elizabeth Victoria."

"But—"

"No buts"

"Aw, mom"

"One….two…." Rose said in a warning voice.

"Here!" Elizabeth shouted, throwing the dress at her mother. "If you want them so bad then, here, have them." She ran off to her room, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Jack knew it was time. He and Rose had talked it over and decided, that's once the girls were old enough, they were to know the truth. Rose had cried that night, fearing their reaction when they were told. At the time, Jack wasn't worried. Now he was. Now that it was time to tell them, he was worried. For Rose, for the girls, for himself, he was worried. The girls still had no idea of what they had gone through and, even though he knew it was going to be painful, he knew it was time to tell them.

"Come with me, Annie", Jack said. He stepped over to Rose. Her knees were shaky. She nodded. She knew what he was about to do. He hugged her, kissed her, and left her, standing out in the living room, all alone, with the memories surrounding her, once again.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jack took Annie's hand, and led her to Elizabeth's door. He came in without being invited, and sat himself down on his daughter's bed, one daughter on each side of him.

"Girls, you need to know why your mother re-acted the way she did. It's quite a sad story, but I think you're old enough to hear it."

"In the year 1912, there was a huge boat, a luxury liner, it's called. It was called the Titanic. I didn't plan on going, but I played poker and won a ticket."

"What about Mother?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"That's where I'm going next."

"Your mother was a first class lady, and I was a third class, mine, being the lowest. Classes didn't talk to each other, so we would have never met."

"But you did." Elizabeth pointed out.

"But we did. Your mother was trying to kill herself by jumping off the back end of the ship. I was out there, and, after talking with me, I convinced her not to jump and she didn't. She was only seventeen. I was only twenty. She was rich and snobby, but I liked her anyway."

"Daddy, what could have possibly made Mother so sad her only option was jumping off the Titanic?" Annie wanted to know.

"You see girls, your mother's family was running out of money. Your mother's father had died on her 16th birthday, on Christmas Eve, and had left debt. He loved Rose, he was the _only_ one who loved her, ever in her life, but he had left debt. So, Rose was forced into marrying Caledon Hockley, the richest bachelor in town.

"Rose was miserable. Her mother never loved her. She wasn't a mother to her. She felt as if she had lived her life already: an endless parade of parties and gatherings. She felt as though she was screaming at the top of her lungs, standing in a crowded room, and no one even looks up. She hated her life. It was like she was going back to America in chains. She was going to New York, to get married to Cal. That's why she jumped. Your mother and I both hated that awful man.

"We fell madly in love. It may have seemed fake, falling in love after only three days. But it was real. Very real. We both knew what people were thinking: 'A first class and a third class boy? In love? Impossible. How could've they even meet? Why would she want something like him?' We both knew Cal was after Rose. But, we loved each other too much to let that get in our way.

"So, when the ship was announced sinking, your mother chose to stay with me until the end, when she could've got in a lifeboat in the beginning. She loved me so much, so very much, that she was willing to risk her life for our love. And, when I got arrested for something I didn't do, which was Cal's doing out of jealousy, your mother came and saved me. The deck was crazy with chaos and it was impossible to get around everyone. There over 2,000 passengers aboard the ship and half of them ended up dying. Your mother was very brave during the sinking. I am still so, so proud of her. She never cried. Not once. Then, she stayed with me until the end, until we were floating, two out of 1500, in the ice-cold water. Your mother laid on a door, that was only big enough for her, so I hung onto the side of it, hoping the life-boats would came back to get us soon.

"Around maybe 3:30, about an hour and ten minutes after the sinking, the life-boats arrived. They lifted your mother first, as I instructed, then myself. The life-boats led us to the _Carpathia, _and we stayed there for the rest of the journey to America."

Jack finally took a breath. He didn't know if it was proper to tell the girls the rest. He felt he had to. For their sake, for Rose's, for his. He had to tell them.

"Girls, your mother is still very scared. Even after fourteen years, she's still so afraid something like that will happen again. The memories from that night, and the journey are still so fresh she can actually taste them. For years afterward, and still to this day, she cries. She experiences nightmares. She's plagued with those memories. Titanic will never, ever go away."

"Oh, wow, Daddy". Annie breathed.

Rose appeared in the doorway now. Her eyes were wet, and tears ran down her cheeks. She had heard the whole thing.

"Oh, Rose", Jack breathed. She ran into his arms and stayed like that for a long time. Elizabeth and Annie never moved. They could hear she was crying.

"Mamma?" Elizabeth said once Rose had stopped crying and was sitting on Jack's lap. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea of what you and Daddy went though. I know now."

"I'm glad, Lizzie. You and Annie have a right to know."

"Rose?" Jack said, turning to face her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Jack." Rose said, smiling a weak smile. "I'm alright."

But, looking into her eyes, he could tell for certain that she was not "alright." She was not alright at all.

"Annalei", Jack called from the kitchen. "Elizabeth, come in here, please."

It was breakfast time, just like they had every other morning of their lives. But, now, it was different. Everyone knew it was different. They could feel it.

And, as Elizabeth watched their mother walk into the kitchen, she could see something different. In her eyes. She could tell that from the time they were told their story, that something inside her had changed. Elizabeth didn't know if it was a good thing or not. The knot in her stomach told her, maybe it wasn't such a good thing. Seeing her mother sit down and pick at her food made Elizabeth want to cry.

Jack knew it too.

He knew that Rose was a different girl. He knew she needed him. He knew she was still afraid. He hated himself sometimes, for having her be so terribly sad, and for having to go on with her life as if it had never happened. Jack knew that Rose was hurting inside. He knew she was.

And the worst of it was, no matter where they went, those awful memories would follow, leaving a trail of darkness behind her. It wasn't all bad, though. In fact, most of the memories she had were the good ones. Her mind, though, had only thought of the bad ones for so long now, that it was almost like the good ones were erased from her memory.

It was raining. The wind blew and blew. The pitch black of night swirled around and around. And, unfortunately, so did Rose's memories.

_They were dancing, twirling around and around. Rose threw her head back, laughing like she hadn't done in a long, long time. Jack was smiling at her while they twirled. She squeezed her eyes shut in pure joy. She felt as it she were dreaming. Oh, please don't let this be a dream…._

_All of the sudden, she wasn't at the third-class party, she was up to her waist in water, freezing cold water. She had to find Jack, she had to. She took off her coat and hung onto the pipe lines along the top, ax still in hand. She was freezing. But, if this would bring her to Jack, then that was all that mattered. _

_The next thing she knew, she was standing on the bow, Jack behind her, arms out, and Jack holding them, saying, "I'm flying, Jack." The sun was setting, making the sky the canvas of many colors. She leaned in and kissed him. The kiss grew more and more intense. Oh, she was in love. She loved him. She knew she did. She wanted to stay with him forever…. _

_She was getting into the lifeboat. Leaving her one true love forever, just to save herself. She couldn't do it. She looked all around: at the mother and the little girls, waving good-bye to their father and husband, at the attendants lowering the little boat into the wide, black ocean, at all the others in the boat with her, all leaving the men they loved. And, finally, finally, she looked up at Jack, standing above her, looking down. No. No, no, no! She couldn't do it! She couldn't leave Jack! He was the one man in all the world who loved her. She couldn't leave him. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She quickly jumped up and scrambled over the side of the boat, almost falling in the water during the process. _

"_Rose!" She could hear Jack yelling. "Rose!" She kept running. Breathing hard and feeling like she might cry, she kept running. When she reached the grand staircase, Jack swept her up in his arms, kissing her face, and saying, "You're so stupid, Rose. Why did you do that, huh? Why? You're so stupid, Rose." He was smiling as he kissed her. _

"_I couldn't go, Jack. I couldn't go." She was crying. He held her for a few seconds. "I couldn't go Jack…" _

_The next thing she knew, she was being ripped from that happy memory and being thrown into water, trying desperately to keep hold on Jack's hand. She came to the surface alone. _

"_Jack!" She screamed, her breathe, white in the air. "Jack!" A man came up and in desperate attempt to stay above the water, he pushed Rose's head, down, trying to get on. "No!' Rose protested. "No!" _

"_Get off her, get off her." It was Jack's voice. _

_They swam over to the door and Rose laid on it, and Jack hung onto the side. _

_When the boats came, though, he wasn't breathing. _

"_Jack? Jack, there's a boat." She shook his arms, which were folded and still had the handcuffs, one on each hand. _

"_Jack!' Her voice was desperate. She looked at the bright light, that being the flashlight the attendant was using to spot survivors. "I'll never let go", she vowed finally. "I'll never let go." She kissed his frozen hand and pushed him down in the water. Jack was dead. There wasn't anything she could do. _

_The boats came and picked her up, all alone, having to push her true love down in the water, that cold, cold water, leaving her. She was alone now. All alone. _

She awoke, crying hard. The tears streamed down her cheeks. She was shaking. She was cold, too.

Jack's arms went around her. "Oh, Rose." He breathed into her hair, holding her. "Oh, my beautiful flower."

"Oh, Jack", Rose sobbed. "It was awful."

"What was awful?" Jack asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You died, Jack. I had to push you down in the water. You died right before the boats came. Oh, Jack." She couldn't even talk she was crying so hard.

"My wonderful, beautiful Rosebud. I will never, _ever_ leave you. You must know that. I will never, no matter what, I will _never_ leave you."

She finally looked up at him. "I love you, Jack." He leaned down and kissed her.

"I love you, too, my beautiful flower."

"I love you with all my heart and soul."

"I love you, Rose. Oh, how I love you."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It was morning now.

But, earlier that night, she had heard crying. She knew it was Rose. She knew it was her mother that was so overwhelmed with memories that she awoke crying after another horrible nightmare.

"Daddy?" Elizabeth said later that morning at breakfast, when Rose was at the stove cooking, and Annie was setting the table. She was over in the corner, the furthest away from Rose. She needed to know. She needed to know more. Much more.

"Yes, Elizabeth?" Jack said softly. "What is it?"

Elizabeth felt embarrassed now. She had felt bold a second ago. Now, she just felt foolish asking her father questions about her mother in secret.

"Um, well, I was just wondering…..I just had some questions…."

"About what, Elizabeth? You can tell me."

She wasn't so sure about that.

"I just had some questions about….well…about…..my mother." There. She said it. And his re-action is…..

"Oh, Lizzie." Jack hugged her. "I know you must have some questions." His voice was a low whisper now. She knew why: if Rose were to hear, it wouldn't end pretty. "I'll be happy to answer them. After supper?" He suggested.

"Sure, Daddy. After supper."

As soon as supper was over and the dishes washed and the table cleared, Jack met Elizabeth at her door.

They went in and sat on her bed. They were silent.

"Lizzie, I know that that talk I gave, the ending of it, about your mother was somewhat vague. I just didn't know if your sister was ready for it yet."

"Annie? But, you gave her a special nickname. A beautiful nickname." _One I would love to have. _Annalei was so pretty, so sweet. She wanted something like that, too.

"Annalei is so much like her mother in the way of being sensitive. I wasn't sure how much she could handle."

"How am I like Mother?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"You're strong and stubborn, but you let people help you when you need it. You refuse to cry. You're tough, yet sensible at the same time. You know what you want. You refuse to give up. That is exactly like your mother." _Or, at least the way she used to be. _Elizabeth smiled.

"Lizzie, did you hear your mother crying last night?"

"Yes. That's when I knew I had to come to you. To know exactly why Mother is acting this way. To figure it out. To hear about it, from your point of view."

"Well, Lizzie, you know that Titanic is the reason, the root of all of this. Of all of the crying, the shakiness, the needing me all the time, her being extremely sensitive, the nightmares. The memories are still engraved in her, embedded deep in her heart. They'll never go away. She'll move on, eventually, she already has made progress with you girls being born, but those memories will never leave her. Or myself. Not ever." If that was her making progress, Elizabeth hated to think what her mother had been like before she and Annie were born.

"Your mother's been through quite a lot. She had her father die on Christmas Eve, which was also her sixteenth birthday. Her father was the only man, only _person_, before me, that ever loved her. Her mother wasn't a mother to Rose, but a matchmaker, setting her up with Cal, even though she hated him and was miserable. Sure, she lived in a mansion and had endless things of fancy, but she was purely miserable after her father died. Then, after Titanic, the memories refused and still do, to leave her alone. She's constantly tormented by them, but especially at night, when all she wants to do is escape and get away from all that. That's why you often hear her crying or scream out into the night. It's because of Titanic. All because of Titanic."

"Daddy, I hate this. This can't happen." Elizabeth felt like crying. She couldn't stand to think of her mother like that. She longed to see her happy. She had never once in her life saw her completely and totally happy. She was different from all of her friend's mothers. She had noticed it early on, when she was about six years old. Sometimes, she felt guilty for being happy when her mother was still so sad. Sometimes she hated herself for not being able to do anything. For just having to be the daughter.

"I hate it too, Lizzie. I hate it, too. But you know what?" Jack asked turning to face his daughter. "We can help her."

"How?"

"By being there for her. By being a shoulder for her to cry on. By not getting mad at her for being this way. For being anything and everything she needs us to be."

"You do that, don't you, Daddy?"

"Yes, honey. Every day. Every single day."

The next evening, on his way home from the art gallery, Jack spotted someone. A head that looked vaguely familiar. The man's hair was dark. His shoulders slumped. Jack knew who he was. He knew he did. Could it be him? His best friend he thought was dead, doomed on the ill-fated ship? After all these years? Was it him? Yes. Jack knew it was.

"Fabri!" Jack yelled. "Fabri!" He yelled louder this time, loud enough for Fabri to lift his head up and look around. Jack walked over to his best friend and gave him a brotherly hug.

"Oh, Fabri!" Jack said. He became suddenly serious. "We thought you were dead. Oh, Fabri, I should've never left you like I did. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, Jack. I'm here. I'm alive. No harm was done."

"After all these years, Fabri."

"I was recovering in that hospital, right over there", Frabrizio said, pointing. "And, then I was busy looking for you. I had just gone to check on something." He looked at Jack, square in the eye. "Is Rose with you? Did she make it?"

"Yes. She's with me. She made it. We made it, together. Ever since the disaster, we've never been apart. We live right over there", Jack said, pointing to their house.

"How is Rose?" Fabrizio asked as they fell into step, together, walking towards Jack's home. Jack bit his lip. He didn't know what to say. Except the truth.

"Rose, she…." Jack stared hard at the ground. He didn't know it would be this hard. It hurt him to have to say that after fourteen years his wife still was overcome by horrible memories. It hurt him. A lot. The talk he had with Elizabeth had hurt him, too. Knowing that she'd noticed enough to come to him, for her to have to come to him for a thing like that. It hurt. Very much.

"She's not hurt, is she?" Fabri asked, looking worried.

Jack started to say no, but instead said, "Yes. Rose is hurt."

"What? Where? Is she at home with you? How did it happen?"

"No, no, she's at home. She always has been. You see, Rose is still hurt, very hurt, emotionally. Not physically." They were nearing their house. They stood outside the doorway.

"On the night of the sinking, Rose was very brave. She was smart and quick and brave. She stayed with me until we were floating in the water, and the boats came to get us.

"But, afterwards, and still to this day, fourteen years later, memories constantly bombard her, especially at night, when all she wants to do is get away from all that. She awakes screaming out into the night. Other times, she awakes crying hard. She's been better since the girls have been born, but it still haunts her. It always will. There were so many good memories aboard the ship and she knows that, but her mind thinks of the bad ones so often, that it's almost like the good memories are erased in her mind. She's also quite sensitive. She'll get over it, eventually, but those memories, both good and bad, will always be there."

"And how do you help her?" Fabri asked.

"Hold her. Cry with her. Soothe her. Anything I can. Sometimes, I get so angry that even I, being her husband, can't take the pain away for her. That I can't do anything but love her. And that I do. I love her so much. So very, very much." Jack cleared his throat. He looked at his friend. His best friend.

"Shall we go in?"

"Indeed we shall."

When Jack and Frabizio stepped in the doorway, Jack could see Rose preparing dinner, talking to Elizabeth, and Annie had just walked into the room. She stopped when she saw Fabri.

"Annie", Jack said, motioning her over to him. "This is my very best friend, Fabrizio De Rossi." Annie curtsied. "And this", Jack said, wrapping his arms around his daughter's shoulders. "Is Annalei, better known to everyone but me, Annie, or Anastasia. That's her full name."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Annie." Annie smiled. They walked more fully into the room.

"Rose", Jack called coming into the kitchen. "I've brought us a visitor." Rose set the spoon on the spoon tray and turned around to be face to face with Fabrizio De Rossi.

"Oh!" Rose cried, throwing her arms around Fabri's neck.

"Fabri, we thought, I thought—"

"I am here, Bella Rosa. I'm glad I'm here."

"Won't you please stay for supper, Fabri?"

"That would be a pleasure, Bella Rosa. Simply a pleasure." Fabri smiled at Rose, hugged her again, and smiled back at Jack. Jack smiled in return.

"And this", Jack said, sweeping Elizabeth to his side with a flourish, "is Elizabeth. She's fourteen, and Annalei is 12." Elizabeth curtsied shyly.

"A pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth", Fabrizio said, smiling.

When they sat down to dinner, Jack couldn't help but watch Rose. Luckily, Fabrizio kept the conversation, by telling the girls all about Italy and his travels all over the world. Rose looked so happy. Jack wanted to hug her. Maybe this was she needed all along. A change. Something to drag her out of everything ordinary. For something to happen. Maybe, finally, this would lead to the way out. The way out of all the suffering and pain. The way out of the darkness. The way out of everything bad, and on the road, to everything good.

"Jack! Jack, save me! Oh, help me, Jack! Oh, please, please help me!" Rose awoke from her nightmare. She could feel Jack's arms go around her immediately. She could hear him soothing her. She could feel his tender kisses to try to help her forget that awful dream. She couldn't speak. Her throat was clogged with tears. She buried her head in her husband's chest and sobbed.

Jack knew Fabrizio could hear. He was sleeping out in the living room. He was going to stay with them for a while. He knew he could hear, but he didn't care. All that mattered was helping Rose. He felt like crying as he gently stroked her red curls. She was crying hard. At that moment, he felt like punching Captain Smith and shouting, _Look what you did! My wife is crying constantly and having memories bombard her. And all because of that stupid ship. You could've saved us. You could've went slower and built more lifeboats. Now, all because of you, half of those people are dead. Thanks a lot. _ Jack gritted his teeth and was even gentler holding her. He had to protect her. No matter what anyone thought, he was her husband and he was going to, he had to, protect from ever being hurt like that ever again. He had to protect her. He had to. And so he would.

The next morning at breakfast, Jack could hardly look at his best friend. He was suddenly self-conscious of what had happened during the night and felt ashamed. Not of Rose and of wanting to protect her, he wasn't ashamed of his wife like that. He never would be. It was that Fabri had heard, and had to suffer, just like his daughters did every night.

"Annalei, set the table, please", Jack said in a gruff voice.

"Yes, Daddy", Annie said.

After breakfast, Fabrizio approached Jack. His voice was a low whisper, out of earshot from Rose. If she knew what they were talking about, she would be embarrassed and blame herself, when it wasn't at all her fault.

"Jack, I—"

"Fabri, I know—"Jack started to say. Fabri put his hand up to Jack, to let his know it was his turn to talk.

"Jack, I know you know I heard Rose last night. And I did hear her. Annie and Elizabeth did, too. I just wanted to let you know that that's OK. She's suffering. All we can do is suffer right along with her. It won't scare me away or bother me. I know what she's going through. I just wanted to let you know." Jack felt like crying. He hugged Fabri hard, in a brotherly embrace that said, _thank you for understanding. You don't know how much, how very much, that means. Thank you. Thank you, Fabri. Thank you. _

They were just straightening up when Rose came in the room with the girls behind her. Everyone saw Jack hug and kiss Rose good-bye. Everyone heard him whisper, "Are you going to be alright?" She nodded. "If anything goes wrong, you come and get me. Or have Fabri come and get me. I love you, Rose. More than anything in the entire world. If you can't handle it, have Fabri come and get me. I love you too much to see you suffer like this. So, if you need me, come and get me, come have someone get me. Alright?" She nodded again. He kissed her one last time, hugged her again, then straightened up. Rose stepped back and the girls stepped up.

"Good-bye, Lizzie. Have a great day. I love you." Jack hugged her, kissed her, and went forward to Annie.

"Annalei, you do well on that test today, OK? Do well, study hard. I love you." Fabrizio smiled. It was so good to see his best friend so sensitive and sweet to his wife and daughters, yet be the same great guy on the inside. He knew he had made the right choice when he called Jack his best friend.

"Jack, I'll walk out with you", Fabri said. "I want to try and see if I can get that job at the restaurant. I've gone and applied already. They cook Italian food, which is exactly the kind of food I make." Jack nodded.

The two men stepped out, already following the girls on their way to school. The girls were far ahead of them, so it was safe to talk.

"Jack, where do you work?"

"I work at that art gallery, right over there, doing portraits. It brings in good money, and I know that makes Rose feel very safe." Jack said. Fabrizio smiled.

"You really love her, don't you?"

"Yeah, Fabri. I really do. More than anything in the entire world."

"I'm glad you stayed with her, instead of with me. She loves you, too. I can tell. And on the ship, she needed you. I'm glad you stayed with her."

"I'm glad you made it out alive, too, Fabri", Jack said.

"What I mean is, I'm glad you knew where your place was on that ship. I'm glad you knew you had to save Rose. You could've lost her if she hadn't gone with you. We would probably be dead right now if you hadn't stayed with her. She would've gotten into a lifeboat and we would've been stranded on that doomed ship. That's all I meant."

"What I don't understand is: how could her mother be so heartlessly cruel? Rose was going to die living her old life."

"But she has you now. And she's pretty happy by the way I look at it." Fabri smiled.

"I'm not so sure about that." Jack stared at the ground. He hated talking about things like this.

"I know she's suffering. I just meant, she's a whole lot happier being your wife than she would've being Cal's."

"Yeah. I'm glad I was able to keep her." Jack smiled. He didn't know if it was safe to look up yet.

"Rose, she's one special girl. I'm glad you got to keep her, too." Fabri said, looking at Jack.

"I just hate that she's suffering like this." Jack whispered to the ground. Fabri put his hand on Jack's arm. Jack didn't look so big and strong now. With his blonde hair and blue eyes, it made him look like a very little boy.

"I know, Jack." Fabrizio said quietly. "I know."

Later that night, at dinner, Jack watched Rose again. The night before she'd looked so happy, so unlike he hadn't seen her in a long, long time. But, right then, that night, she looked like she always did: sad. Jack wanted to hold her and kiss her and hug her and never, ever let her go. He got this feeling whenever he felt she needed him. He _wanted_ her to need him. That was one of the greatest things about her: she was willing to fight, but also willing to accept help when she needed it. Sure, she had had more help than willpower these last few years, but she could've done a lot worse things to herself. Jack was grateful and proud that she had enough sense to not do those other things.

Jack saw Fabrizio watching her, too. The girls vaguely noticed, but kept up the table talk. Jack knew they had really noticed, but had to keep going. They always had to. It was sometimes like they were suffering right along with their mother. Sometimes, it felt like they were _all_ suffering along with her. And, noticing that was when Jack would get mad at himself, feeling ashamed at his supposed inability to help her, to guide her out of this whole mess.

Rose had always been calm, had a good head on her shoulders. Now, that good head was filled with more than enough horrible memories. She was still calm and steady, like the sun, but Titanic had shaken her, in ways she didn't fully understand. It had taken awhile for her to get her ground. And, as soon as she would have a good grip, Titanic would come and yank the rug out from under her feet. That was the never ending cycle Rose Dawson was forced to call her life. It was all of their lives.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The day had started out good for Rose. This wasn't something anybody had been able to say, truthfully, for a long, long time.

She had woken up at about 6:30….

Rose Dawson's eyelids fluttered open. She looked around, glancing about at the sun slanting through the windows, her wedding ring, sparkling on her finger, and Jack, who was holding her so very gently. She smiled.

She quietly slipped out of the bed, trying not to awaken her husband-oh, how she loved to call him that, and went into the bathroom to shower and dress.

When she was finishing tying the ribbon around her dress, Jack's face appeared in her mirror. She turned around to see him standing behind her. She smiled as he hugged her. She smiled while he kissed her good-morning, his breath nice and sweet, and minty, seeing he had just brushed his teeth.

She started brushing her hair then, as he got in the shower. She pinned it up, leaving wispy curls to fall daintily next to her face. She liked looking pretty. Usually, unlike today, she wouldn't have cared how she looked. But, today was different. She knew it was. And she was glad. Very glad.

When they were both showered and dressed, the couple went into the kitchen, to see Elizabeth pouring over a very thick book, and Annie setting the table. Fabrizio walked in just as they did, and Rose started breakfast.

The breakfast, for Rose, had gone exceptionally well that morning. She didn't know why it was that day in particular that was going so well for her, but she wanted it to last as long as it could.

When breakfast was over, she met Jack and her daughters at the doorway.

Fabrizio had already left, to start early on his job at the restaurant. He was their best cook now, and he loved working there. Rose was glad that that had worked out for him. He had had so many things go wrong in his life, she knew, that he needed this job.

She hugged Elizabeth and said, "Have a good day, Lizzie. I love you." She almost never called her daughter that. Lizzie was Jack's name for her. But, Elizabeth had smiled, truthfully, and Rose was glad. She hugged Annie and said, "Do well today, Annie. I love you."

"I will, Mother", they both had answered. This was too good. It was too "picture perfect". It couldn't last….could it? Yes, Rose decided. It had to.

"Have a good day, Lizzie", Jack said, hugging his daughter tightly.

"I will, Daddy. I will." Elizabeth smiled at him.

"Have a great day, Annalei." Jack said, hugging Annie warmly.

Rose knew that Jack had a special relationship with their daughters. She knew they loved him more than anyone else. Rose sometimes felt jealous that they loved him more than they loved her. But, she knew they loved her, too. Just, in a different way.

On his way out the door, Jack kissed her again and whispered, "I hope this day goes well for you, Rose. I hope this can be a good day."

"Me too, Jack", she said, sounding weirdly teary. "Me too."

He smiled at her reassuringly, and went out the door.

Rose then cleaned the house, from top to bottom, and then sat down with her sewing. She hadn't always liked sewing, especially when she pricked herself with the needle, or wound the stitches too tight or too loose, and was forced to take them out begin again, counting stitches all the way. But, that day, it went smoothly for her this is a trick, she thought. I know it is.

By the time she looked up from her sewing, it was already a quarter after twelve, so she sat down with her lunch. It was unnaturally warm for the beginning of spring, so Rose sat outside with her lunch and a book.

And, by around the time Jack and Fabri were due home, Rose had cleaned the entire house, and had done a bit more sewing. She was busy making supper when Jack arrived home. He, with Fabrizio in tow, came into the kitchen to find Elizabeth setting the table and trying to finish her homework at the same time, and Annie reading a book, sitting at the kitchen table. He kissed the top of his daughter's heads and went over to Rose.

"How was it?" He whispered it fearfully. There had been so many days, in the beginning, he would come home and she would throw herself at him in complete tears. She had been better ever since the girls were born, but it still was there.

"You know", she said, turning to face him, "it was one of the best days I've had in a long, long time." She whispered it, too. It felt too delicate to say right up front.

"Oh, Rose", Jack said, smiling. He hugged her, breathing in her lovely scent. She smiled, too, close to tears. Even she didn't know why. Tears of happiness? She couldn't believe it. When they pulled away, Jack smiled.

A memory came to her then.

She was with Jack. Her head was resting on his chest. She could feel his heart beating steadily. He played with her curls. He kissed her as he held her gently in his arms. She was floating…no, she was safely landing, in Jack's arms…..no, that wasn't it. She was….she was….she was….in love. Yes. That's it. She was in love. Deeply in love. Crazily in love. Madly in love. So much in love that she knew she wanted to stay with him. She knew she did. She knew what love was. It just took her a little while to see it.

When they sat down to supper that night, Jack watched Rose again. He watched her smile and laugh and look as though nothing had ever happened, as though she wasn't the girl who cried and was overcome with memories. Tonight, Jack decided, she wasn't that girl. She was a different girl. And he loved this girl all the same.

After supper, sitting in the living room with coffee, and the girls in their rooms, finishing their homework, they talked.

And, as they were talking, Rose heard someone knock on the door. She went to open the door and once she did, she became face-to-face with the one man she hoped to never see again.

"J-Jack", Rose stammered. Jack and Fabrizio looked up. Jack saw him. He went over to Rose's side and put his arm around her waist.

"Come along, Rose." His accent was still rich and sweet. Cal started towards her. Rose felt like she couldn't breathe. _This isn't happening, _she told herself.

But it was.

"No, Cal. No. Rose is not going with you." Jack's voice was steady and harsh.

"What? Do you own her or something," Cal said with a sly grin.

"No. Rose is my wife, and I love her, and you cannot take her away. If you so much as touch her, I'll call the police." His voice was a little louder now.

"Touch", Cal said as he began to poke at her. "Touch". He began poking her and shoving her. Jack reached for the phone.

The police reached them in about fifteen minutes.

"What seems to be the problem here?" An officer with the name Michaels engraved into his police badge asked.

"This man", Jack said, "Who, unfortunately, Rose and I know very well as Caledon Hockley, tried to kill her, us, on Titanic, and now is back for more. He pushed her and shoved, and has hurt her, and myself, or tried to, much worse than that."

The officer looked at Cal.

"What has he done much worse than the pushing and shoving he has supposedly done tonight?"

"He tried to shoot us, tried to frame me and have me arrested for something he set up, and has killed Rose in more ways than one, on the inside". The officer eyed Cal warily.

"I haven't done such things", Cal protested hotly.

"Oh, you haven't?" the officer said sarcastically.

"Yes. I have done no such things. I told you. I love Rose. More than anything. How could I do such horrible things to the girl I love so much?" _No! _Rose wanted to shout. _Take him away! Shoot him! Do something! I hate him! _

"Please, officer", Rose said pleadingly. "Cal doesn't love me. He never has. Please. Just take him away. Please." Hot tears ganged up in her eyes and in her throat. The officer looked at Rose, to Cal, to Jack, back and forth, for a long, long time.

"Alright, ma'am." He finally said. "Take him away, guys." And that was that. Officer Michaels tipped his hat and left, leaving Rose and Jack alone.

Jack was angry. Cal just had to come and shatter the one good day Rose had. Gee. Thanks. Why couldn't he just leave her alone, he felt like screaming. He hated to see her so sad, especially on the one day she had been happy.

Rose looked up at Jack. He knew.

He swept her up in her arms. Tears started down her cheeks. He hugged her tight. She clutched his shirt. Seeing Rose cry like that, over that cruel man, he was getting even angrier.

"Shhh." He soothed. "I'm here now, Rose. He can't hurt you again."

"Who can't?"

Jack looked up to see Elizabeth and Annie standing there. Rose looked up, too. Seeing the girls suddenly made her cry all over again, burying her face in Jack's chest. Elizabeth and Annie took a step back. His eyes were pleading. Annie nodded. She knew what he meant. She and Elizabeth left the room.

"I love you, Rose. Oh, how I love you", Jack said, brushing his hand softly over her curls.

Fabrizio appeared in the room now. Over the top of his wife's head he mouthed "Cal". Fabrizio's face clenched up in anger. Jack nodded. He held Rose tight. He had to protect her. He had promised himself he would. Sure, he made Cal go away, but he had to do something more. Something more to keep her, and the girls, safe.

As angry as Jack, and Fabrizio were, it didn't take him long to let go of his anger and focus on keeping his family safe.

He had stayed home from work the following day, not because Rose asked him, but because he knew she wanted him to. And, he was leafing through the paper, when suddenly an ad caught his eye.

An ad to an escape.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was time to tell her.

Jack had decided that it was time to get out of New York. That it was better, safer, if they all return to Europe. And now the moment had come to tell her. Jack was nervous.

"Rose?" Rose looked up from folding the laundry. They were in their room. Jack got up and closed the door. Rose eyed him curiously.

"Yes?"

"You know what happened the other night?" He hated to bring it up. It was a tough subject for them both to talk about. Rose looked down at the bed, concentrating very hard on folding a stocking. He didn't want an actual answer from her, so he continued. "Well, because of that, I've decided we need to keep you and the girls safe, so I've decided…that we should…leave. Return to Europe." There. It was out. Rose looked up now.

"Leave?" Her voice was raw and it cut him like a knife.

"Yes." His voice was soft. "I can't have the threat of Cal coming back. He hurt you, Rosebud. And, I want to get to a place, I want all of us to get to a place where he can't hurt you. Not ever."

"And?"

'And, I think leaving is the answer."

"Where would we go?"

"Back to Europe. Somewhere in Europe. You and the girls can choose. But, Paris was always my favorite."

"How will ever get there?"

"By boat." He looked at her squarely.

"No, Jack. No."

"Rose, we have to."

"But what about the girls?"

"What about them?...Oh. Lizzie."

"Jack, she's traumatized." He knew it was true. Elizabeth would wake, like Rose, screaming out into the night about Titanic. The nightmares she had were similar to Rose's. She would cry into his arms. There wasn't just Rose he was soothing at night now.

"I know, honey, but…."

"But nothing." She said sadly. "It's best we leave."

"Rose, I know you're still scared. You and me both. But we have to do this." His voice was quiet. She stepped toward him. Tears were welling in her eyes.

"Okay", she said.

Later that night, Rose and Jack went into Elizabeth's room. It was time to tell her.

"Lizzie?" Jack said softly, opening her door.

"Yes, Daddy?" She put her books aside and invited them both to sit on her bed, one on each side of her.

"Your mother…..your mother….we've….uh…." Why was this so hard for him? He'd always been a 'say it like it is' kind of a guy, hadn't he? Yes. But after having a wife and kids, he became more and more serious. He started again. "Your mother and I…we've decided…it would be best….if….we returned to Europe."

"Return? I've never been to Europe", Elizabeth pointed out.

"Sorry, Lizzie. Anyway, we're going to start packing our things. We'll leave the day after tomorrow."

"Why are we going there, Daddy?' Elizabeth asked.

"I'm scared Cal is still after your mother, and you girls, possibly. We need to get away from him, where he can't find us."

"Oh." Elizabeth was thoughtful. Then she asked, "how are we going to get there?" The dreaded question.

"By boat."

"By b-boat?" Elizabeth stammered, her eyes widening. He was sorry. He hated to have to tell her that.

"Have you told Annie yet?"

"Yes. Annalei knows. Don't say anything to scare her."

"I won't. I'm too scared myself."

"We'll be fine, Lizzie." Rose spoke up softly. She looked to Jack as if to say, Right?

"You promise not to let anything happen to me?"

"We promise." Jack said.

The next day they all packed their things, including their beds and things, into boxes. Rose packed her Titanic trunk with the utmost care, and handed it to the man, who took the cargo when they went to deliver it, very, very carefully.

That night at dinner, Fabrizio called from the restaurant to let them know that he was going to share an apartment with one of his friends, and how grateful he was for them, he would cover for them in Cahl came near, and he'd alert the police if Cahl was on the move again immediately, and he wished them a safe journey back to Europe.

During the meal, Elizabeth ate nothing and quickly left when the meal was over. Rose found her lying on her bed, which was a combination of sheets and blankets, since they had already gave their beds to the loading dock.

"Elizabeth? Do you wish to talk?" Rose's question was quiet. She shook her head, and when Rose leaned down to kiss her Elizabeth turned her face away from her mother's and said, "Could you have Daddy come in, please?" Rose felt as though she'd been slapped.

"Jack?" She called, going out into the living room to find him there.

"What's wrong?" Tears filled her eyes.

"She pushed me away. She wants you." Rose made her way to the bedroom, where she tried hard not to cry, but the tears fell anyway. She braced herself sitting on the edge of the bed before she moved upward and lay on the bed, her face looking down at the pillows. Jack had to fight the urge not to go in and soothe her. Her head dropped on the pillow and Jack could hear sobs. He went into Elizabeth's room.

"Lizzie?"

"Daddy?"

"Elizabeth, your mother is very hurt. She is crying now. She is in there crying." Jack was mad. He hated to see Rose so sad. And having his own daughter be the cause of it made him want to scream at her.

"I only told her the truth. I didn't want her there."

"Well, you've always been a Daddy's Girl. When you were younger, it was a thing I loved. Now, though, that you're growing into a young woman, I don't like it quite so much." Jack was thoughtful. "Liz, why do you put such a negative attitude towards your mother?"

"She doesn't understand me. She thinks she does, but she doesn't." Jack's anger bubbled over.

"She is trying to. Can't you see that?"

Jack left the room then. He went into Annie's room and kissed her good-night, then went into the bedroom, where Rose was lying on her back underneath the covers now staring at the ceiling, with the light off. He laid down with her.

"Apparently you don't understand her", he said finally.

"Well, _apparently_ I don't with her pushing me away like that." Rose retorted.

"Rose, it's natural for teenagers to act like that. I did, and I _know_ you did." She looked troubled.

"C'mon", she said. "Let's go to sleep."

The next morning, Rose awoke at 6:00 and got Annie up. She asked Jack to get Elizabeth. Her eyes filled at that part. Jack tried to say something, but Rose brushed quickly past him.

The family arrived at the loading dock at noon. Their ship, the Tiffany, left at 1 P.M. Since they had already loaded all their cargo onto the ship, they quickly went aboard the ship, Elizabeth clutching Jack's hand. Rose looked at the ground.

The smell of fresh paint was so familiar, and so strong that Rose sneezed. On their way to their rooms, they passed a picture of Captain Smith at the wheel, and another of a newspaper clip of the Titanic disaster. Rose felt like crying as she glanced at the pictures. They brought back so many memories. She wanted desperately to grab Jack's hand and march right down the plank and back to before any of this had started. Rose saw Elizabeth look quickly away. She couldn't face it either. But, Rose was too angry at her to be sympathetic.

They found their suite and settled in. There were two rooms, one for Jack and Rose, and one for Elizabeth and Annie. Jack's money brought in from the art gallery had just managed to get them this room. And, despite her old life being able to hand out suites any old time, Rose was very pleased by this arrangement.

Once they had gotten settled in, the family went out to inspect the deck. Again, Rose wanted to hold Jack's hand, but Elizabeth beat her to it. Jack glanced back at his wife, looking sorry. She knew he was. She shrugged to say, "It's OK. It's what she feels she needs now, I guess. I'll hold your hand later." Luckily, Annie, having seen the whole thing, grabbed Rose's hand. Rose had to smile at her daughter. So much like herself, Annie was. Maybe that's why they loved her so much.

Rose felt like crying.

Elizabeth was being very unreasonable. And, she didn't know why. At least if she knew why, then she could fix it. But she didn't. And she wouldn't unless Elizabeth had the guts to tell her. And she knew that that wouldn't be happening any time soon.

Being back on a ship, despite all Elizabeth and Annie knew, was terrifying. She could hardly stand it. She wished desperately they could get off. But she knew it was impossible. They were only headed for ocean, with no signs of stopping. She wanted Jack. She wanted to cling to him and have him hold her and for them to be safe in their house back in New York. For Cal to have never threatened them, and for them to live happily forever and ever.

But she knew that that time in her life was over now. And she knew that it would never be back.

That's what made her so sad. That's what made this whole thing feel so hard. That was why she hated it.

Rose looked over at her eldest daughter. She was being the most unreasonable, but she was the most like Rose. And she needed Jack just as much as Rose did, too. She, of all people, should've been able to understand that, should've she? Yes.

But she was still too mad.

She would try tomorrow.


	10. Chapter 10

Because of the review I got from Loli-pop0394, I have decided to update. Thanks so, so, so much, Loli-pop, for loving this story the same way I do. I had to dig around to find the old notebook for this story, but I did and here you go. Enjoy this chapter and review!

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 10

And so, try tomorrow Rose did.

She went to talk to Elizabeth. Jack and Annie were off on the other side of the deck, letting them have their space.

"Elizabeth?"

No answer,

"Elizabeth, answer me, please."

No answer.

"Elizabeth, answer me."

No answer.

"Elizabeth." Rose's tone was much harder now.

No answer.

"Elizabeth Victoria Dawson."

"You want an answer?" Elizabeth finally said, angrily.

"That would be nice", Rose answered sarcastically.

"You want an answer? You want an answer for why I'm not talking to you? You want an answer for why I'm pushing you away? You want an answer for why I hold Daddy's hand?"

Rose nodded.

"Well, you won't get one", Elizabeth said snottily, and then she flounced away.

* * *

"I can't believe it!" Jack said later that night, while the couple was lying in bed. "Our Elizabeth actually said that?"

"Uh-huh. God, Jack, you should've seen how she looked at me. Like I was the most awful thing to ever walk the earth."

"You're not awful, Rose", Jack said quietly. "You're the best person _ever_ in the world."

"You think so?"

"I know so. And", Jack said in his most determined and focused voice, "tomorrow, I'll find out why Lizzie's been acting this way."

The next day, he and Elizabeth met after lunch to have a chat. They walked about the boat deck as they talked.

"Liz, let's talk about what you think of your mother."

"I already told you", Elizabeth said stubbornly. "She doesn't understand me."

"You're a lot like her, you know."

"Yeah, but I'm not _her_", Elizabeth retorted.

"Right, right", Jack said. His daughter did have a point. But still. Couldn't they just make up already? He hated to see his daughter so stubborn, but then again, it was one of the very things that reminded him of Rose.

"So, why", Elizabeth said, continuing her rant about her mother, "does she expect me to be her. And talk like her. And act like her. And even sit like her."

"She doesn't mean to be that way, Liz", Jack said. "That's just her instinct. That's how she was raised. That's how—

Jack stopped.

Rose was running toward him at full speed, her full skirt swishing along the ground.

"Oh, Jack", she said, and threw herself into his arms.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, the fear flickering in his eyes. He knew from the way Rose was that this wasn't some other nightmare. This had to be something bad.

Rose was crying and sobbing, but she managed to get most of it out. "The captain said…iceberg's right head…won't be able to turn…if we get too close…and…and…we could…it could…Oh, God, Jack…"

She collapsed into him, trying desperately to stop crying. The word iceberg made Jack's stomach turn to ice. Elizabeth saw fear full in his eyes now. And that made her worried. She urgently tugged on Jack's shirt sleeve.

"Daddy", she asked nervously. "Are we in trouble?"

"No, Elizabeth, no." Jack wrapped is arms around Rose and led her back to their suite. Elizabeth trailed behind.

He was worried.

Iceberg right head…too close to turn…

_What was he going to do? _


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to the two new reviews I received, they made me so happy I decided to update again. Here you go, readers! Enjoy!

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 11

Jack could not let on how scared he was. Could not. He knew it would only make things for worse for his family, Elizabeth and Rose especially. He knew he had to be brave now. But it was hard.

The next morning, Jack got up before Rose. He grabbed the paper, trying not to rustle the papers too loudly. He had only read half of the front page when Annie emerged,

"Morning, Annie", Jack said, hugging his daughter warmly.

"Morning, Daddy."

Rose awoke then and bid her daughter good morning.

"Is Elizabeth up yet?" Jack asked.

"Yes", replied a voice and they all looked over to see Elizabeth coming toward them, clad in the same floor-sweeping nightgown as Annie.

"Morning, Lizzie", Annie offered.

"Daddy, what day is it?" Elizabeth wanted to know. Jack went over to the calendar.

"It's—It's—Oh, God."

"What?" Rose asked. He pointed to the date.

April 14.

"Oh, God", Rose breathed.

"It doesn't mean it'll happen again, Rose."

"Jack, the captain reported 'iceberg's right ahead', Rose contradicted.

"Don't—Don't worry", Jack said, hiding his fear prettily.

Rose was right, though. The boat had some chance of sinking. It always had. He shuddered inwardly.

________________

At dusk, Jack was at the bow railing. Rose came up behind him and said softly, "I changed my mind." He smiled as the girls came up, watching.

Take my hand", he said, as he had done all those years ago. "Step onto the railing.

She closed her eyes and held his hands tightly, stepping up slowly. The cool breeze blew as they reached the top of the rail.

"Now, open your eyes", Jack instructed.

She opened them.

"Jack, I'm flying!" Rose breathed. Their mouths moved closer and closer together. Their heads titled and lowered until their lips touched and they kissed passionately. Elizabeth and Annie watched, purely enchanted.

Rose hugged Jack hard.

"I'm so glad I haven't lost you", she whispered.

"Me too. That night, you were so wonderful, Rose. I never thought I'd love you anymore than I did right then, on that night. But I did. I do. I'll love you forever, Rosebud."

At that, Rose kissed him again and smiled.

"I have an idea", Elizabeth said when the couple had gotten down from the railing. "Let's go to the storage deck."

"Yes, let's", Annie agreed. And so they did.

They all ran through the ship, down to the coal boilers. With Rose's dress sweeping the floor, they all ran and ran. They finally made it to the storage deck. Rose stood by the car and cleared her throat. Jack came to her, said, "where to, miss?" and helped Rose into the car like the gentleman he was. Annie and Elizabeth did the same thing and soon they were all in the car. Then, they all sat down.

Mommy, do you still have that pretty necklace? The one from the picture?" Annie asked. Rose's heart fluttered in her chest. She thought before she spoke.

"Yes, I do", she said at last. "I've still kept it, even after all this time."

"Why?" Annie wanted to know.

"Jack drew me in it and that makes it special. Very special." Rose glanced back at her husband. He smiled at her.

The family then left the storage deck and went up onto the main deck. Rose heard a bell ringing in the distance. Ashe went over to Jack, fear gripping her. She remembered the last time she heard a bell ring like that. It meant danger. It was the prelude to the worst night in history.

And suddenly, a big black, looming figure came into sight.

An iceberg.

It scraped horribly along the side of the ship. Rose felt like she might pass out, being this close to the exact same danger that tried to claim her life years ago, and Jack's. But she couldn't cry now. This was a time of emergency and she needed to stay strong, no matter what. No matter how deathly afraid she was. No matter if Jack had broken his promise to her about setting foot on a ship again. No matter what, she had to be strong. She had to.

______________

**I know what you're thinking: That chapter was so super lame. And believe me, now that I read it over, I think it's super lame, too. It's a lame, super lame, filler chapter. But come on. I was in the eighth grade when I wrote this, OK? And don't worry, the sinking will happen. I promise. And I promise that it won't be super lame like this chapter here. **

**Off to watch Titanic! Seriously! I am dying to watch the part where Jack teaches Rose how to spit like a man. That part is so funny!**

**REVIEW!!!!**


	12. Chapter 12

Hey, hey, readers! Because of the awesome reviews I got, I'm updating again! Get ready! The sinking's coming! Enjoy!

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 12

Jack swept Rose out of the way of the iceberg. "This sounds bad", he murmured. Elizabeth went pale. Jack hugged her. "C'mon", Jack said. "Let's warn the others." The family headed inside, where their job was already being done. People were rushing around, some with life vests, some without.

"Let's get to a lifeboat", Rose suggested. Jack led them out onto to the deck again, where chaos was erupting. Elizabeth clung to Jack and Annie clung to Rose.

"Women and children only", they heard a head supervisor shout.

"I'm not going without you", Rose whispered into Jack's ear. He knew better than to protest. The last time he'd tried that, she'd ended up jumping out of the lifeboat anyway. "Girls, c'mon, get into a lifeboat."

"You too, mama?" Annie asked, stepping beside her sister.

"No, Luisa", Rose said. "You and Elizabeth stay here."

"Wait! Why?" Annie wailed.

"I'll take care of them", a kind voice said. Rose looked ove to see a young women with soft blue eyes and blonde hair sitting patiently in one of the lifeboats—one of only 15, of course, because no one thought that this ship would sink, too God, they were wrong. Rose could see deep sorrow in her eyes and immediately felt sorry for her.

"Oh, thank you…?"

"Clorreta. Clorreta Jameson." The woman weakly smiled.

"Thank you, Clorreta. Girls, daddy and I need to stay together. We'll be waiting on another boat, OK?" Elizabeth could've asked why her mother had said OK when this kind of question didn't require an answer, but she didn't, She was too nervous.

"Will you be safe?"

"Let us hope so", Rose answered. She and Jack kissed the girls, then sped off in another direction. She heard Clorreta asking questions and the girls answering them. That made Rose feel a little bit better, but not much.

Water had begun to flood the lower deck and were filling up fast. The water was freezing and fast, just like last time. And just like last time, the ship didn't have enough lifeboats.

"God, when will people grasp they need more lifeboats?" Rose asked, aggravated. As Rose was asking, they made their way to non-flooded area.

"I don't know. Certainly not now, though", Jack replied.

"Augh!" Rose shrieked as the freezing cold water swept up on her feet and ankles.

"God, that's cold", Jack breathed as the water continued rising.

"You'd think", Rose said breathlessly as they rounded the stairs, going up and up, "that we'd be used to this. We've gone through this once before."

"I don't think anyone could get used to this", Jack replied. He glanced back at her.

They'd reached the middle deck and water was coming in, faster and faster. They made their way to a gate, which was closed.

"Oh, God!" Rose cried desperately. "Please help us!" An officer came with a key. Water--cold, cold water—was beginning to flood. "Please!" Rose cried out again. The officer came toward the gate with trembling hands and tried to unlock the door.

"I've seemed to have the wrong keys", the officer said. The water was up to their waists now, and rising steadily. The man quickly left. Jack rammed into the gate, but it didn't budge. He tried again and it didn't budge. He tried a third time and a fourth time, and the gate finally broke. The water, up to their necks now, made it hard to swim, but they did.

"C'mon, Rose", Jack said. "Let's get out of here."

Sopping wet, the couple made it to the dining room, which hadn't flooded yet, and saw Annie and Elizabeth.

"What on earth are you girls doing here?" Jack asked.

"What are _you_ doing all wet?" Elizabeth asked.

"I thought you were in the lifeboat with Clorreta."

"We were. Then we got worried and came to look for you."

"Get back into the lifeboat", Jack ordered.

"That one left, I think", Elizabeth said simply.

"Go back on deck and get on another one. They'll let you", Jack said.

"No, daddy", Elizabeth said. "We want to stay with you. Don't we, Annie?"

But before Annie or Jack could manage a reply, the entire family, and everyone else in the dining room, was swept away by water.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic or anything related to the film. **

**Hey, readers! Here's chapter 13! I've been betting fantastic, wonderful, amazing reviews, so I hope you like this chapter and I hope you review! **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 13

"Rose? Rose!" Jack called, feeling like he was 20 again and back on the original Titanic. Only this time, he had his daughters to worry about, too. He glanced around and didn't see anyone in his family. All of the sudden, he saw Annie. He made his way, swimming over to her, seeing as he was still in the water that had swept him and his family away only about 10 minutes ago. He finally reached her. Jack hugged his daughter. She was sopping wet, as was he.

"Have you seen Elizabeth or your mother?"

Annie shook her head no. But then, she pointed and saw Elizabeth.

"Lizzie!" Annie's voice carried and reached Elizabeth. She swam over and breathlessly said, "Where's Mother?"

"I don't know", Jack said. "We have to find her."

The trio swam and swam, until they finally made their way to the main staircase and got up to the main deck again, where chaos was still raging far and wide. The boat was tipping, and it was predicted to go down by the head, just like the last time. Jack and Annie and Elizabeth had to walk sideways in order not to fall over.

"Rose!" Jack called. "Rose!" He didn't see her, but he knew he had to find her, before it was too late to save her. He had done it once before. He could do it again…right? He hoped so. Oh boy, did he hope so.

_______________

Meanwhile, Rose was down in the lower deck. She'd reached the surface in the dining room where the water had swept her and her family away, and then, not seeing anyone in her family, she went to look for them, before the current swept her away to the stairs that lead to the lower deck.

"Oh, my God", she muttered under her breath. Stupid, stupid current. How in the world was she going to get out of there? And where in the world was her family?

The dress Rose was wearing—a pretty purple, gray, pink, and white light and airy floor-length dress with a straight neckline and short sleeves—was soaked and dragging. But she didn't care. Her hair was wet and stringy, but she didn't care about that, either.

Rose swam around she was at a long corridor. Water was flooding, but she could walk down it if she really tried. As she made her way down it, the lights began to flicker on and off.

"Oh, God", she muttered again. Her heartbeat began to pick up and the lights flickered faster and faster. She began to make her way down the corridor faster and faster, hoping that Jack or Annie or _someone_ would come to find her or that she would somehow find them.

"Jack!" She called. "Annie! Anybody?"

At the end of the corridor, there were stairs that led to an iron gate. "Oh, God!" Rose cried desperately, like she was 17 again and back on the Titanic with just Jack. "Somebody! Please! Help me!" She shook the gate in utter frustration and desperation. She shook it harder and harder until her arms ached. If no one was going to find her, she was going to do it herself. A man came by, but kept running, pay no mind to her. "Jerk", she called after him. She leaned against the wall as the lights flickered again. She took a deep breath and called for help again, hoping that someone, _anyone_, would find her.

* * *

Up on the chaotic main deck, Jack helped the girls get into a lifeboat. He hated to do this without his wife, but he figured they would be safer in a lifeboat than they would be running around a sinking ship, even if it was to look for their mother.

"Will you find Mother?" Elizabeth asked worriedly, almost desperately. Jack knew as mad as Elizabeth was at Rose, she was still able to be worried about her.

"Yes, Lizzie. I'll find her."

"You're sure?" Annie asked timidly.

"I'm sure", Jack said, "And I'm also sure your mother would want you in a lifeboat, safe." Without a reply, Jack led the girls to a lifeboat and got them in. He hugged his daughters tightly, and left them after assuring them yet again that he and Rose would be all right and headed out. He scanned the dining room again, which was totally flooded now, making it near impossible to find anyone, yet alone someone as small as Rose. In desperation, he headed down to the stairs that led to the lower deck, hoping with all his might that Rose had not ended up down there.

"Rose!" Jack called out again. "Rose!"

His body was shivering and shaking in the freezing cold water of the North Atlantic, but he kept on swimming. He had to find Rose. He had to.

_____________

Rose shook the gate again and again and cried out in pure frustration and desperation. She had tried in the past 30 minutes to find some other way out, but she could not. She knew Jack would've been able to, like he'd done so many times on the previous Titanic, and it made her heart hurt to think about him now. She leaned against the wall, breathing hard as the water began to rise. It already had risen when she and Jack had been in the deck hours before, and it had almost flooded, but now it was getting close to being totally swamped.

"Oh, God!" Rose cried out again. She began to tread water. But then, she heard someone faintly shouting. The voice drew nearer and nearer and before she knew it, she heard it was her name being called out, and before she knew it, there was Jack.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic or anything related to it. **

**Hey, readers! I'm on my second update of the night, just because of the wonderful reviews! Here's chapter 14! **

**I'm watching Titanic as I type this! **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 14

Upon seeing Rose, Jack breathed a huge sigh of relief. He went as quickly as he possibly could over to her and hugged her quickly, despite him being all wet.

"There's no way out!"Rose cried out the second she saw him. Jack grabbed her hand and looked around for an escape. Seeing none, he rammed into the gate, having to do so three times before it buckled and broke. When the couple made it to the not-yet-completely-flooded deck above, Rose asked, "Where are the girls? You did find them, didn't you?"

Jack nodded. "I got them back on a lifeboat. I hated to do it without you, but I wanted them to be completely safe while I looked for you."

Rose threw her arms around Jack and he did the same. They held each other, clinging to relief, both of them, that they had found each other.

"Jack!" Rose cried suddenly. "Look!"

Jack turned to where Rose was pointing and saw water rushing rapidly in from the lower deck where they had just come.

"I'm not losing you again, Rose", Jack said seriously. "Let's go, quick."

They made their way quickly to the main deck outside. Jack pointed to the life-boat where Elizabeth and Annie were and said, "The girls will be safe until we are with them again."

The entire boat was slanted much more severely than it had been when Jack and the girls had gone to look for Rose. She couldn't stand upright anymore; no one could.

"Let's get to the railing", Jack said, having to shout over midst the hysteria that was plaguing nearly everyone in sight. Only a few were calm and Jack and Rose had a feeling they knew why. Rose smiled kindly at a woman, who smiled kindly back and said, "We should be used to this, right? Curse my husband for having to switch jobs and move back home."

"Curse my ex-fiancé for threatening our livelihood", Rose agreed.

"Curse Titanic for sinking the first time", Jack said seriously, and they all smiled sad smiles. Jack looked at Rose, smiling her sad smile and felt surprised inside. Was that his Rose, smiling about the ship that had wrecked her life? Could this be a new beginning for her?

He didn't have time to think about that, because the boat was tilting and tilting. "We've got to get to the railing", he shouted and Rose, grabbed his hand and went along.

Rose could already feel the suction of the ship in her bones and her joints and took a deep breath and let Jack hang onto her extra tight once they'd reached the railing and were hanging on.

Just like the first Titanic, people had gone crazy and jumped overboard. People were crying and screaming and running around. Rose still felt scared, but not as much this time because she knew she had Jack with her forever, she'd known that the first time, too, but now, it was different, somehow. She felt different, too. She knew the family would make it to England and they would live happily together.

As she clung to Jack, the suction getting stronger and stronger beneath her, she thought of the great memories of the first time she'd done this--not the sinking, of course, but of other things, like the third class party, going to the stars, running away from Lovejoy, flying with Jack at the bow, listening to him mingle with the upper class folk at the dinner, talking about art with Jack and learning how to spit like a man. Those few days she'd been happier than she ever thought she could be, with Jack, only to have it ripped away by that awful, awful event.

She could've been angry and upset and sad, and she still was and always would be, a little, but she felt better knowing that everything had been worth it because she'd gotten to meet Jack and fall in love with him and live happily ever after, well happily as anyone could after what happened.

As surprising unprepared as she felt right now, Rose knew she and Jack and the girls would be all right. She didn't know where that sudden change of heart had come from—how had she gone from traumatized to happy about an event that was so awful it had sent the world spinning off its axis?—but she was so tired of crying and crying. She just wanted to be happy again. It had taken her so long to finally get there, but in the midst of a most horrible and utter tragedy, she had found the old Rose. And for that she was so, so glad.

_______________

**Hey, readers! **

**Do you think this is too rushed and too out-of-character? Do you think it seemed natural? I read the entire 13 chapters over and all I could think was, I wish she'd stop crying! That's why I wrote what I did. I want her to be happy with Jack, you know? I mean, if he really had lived in the movie, they would've been happy, right? I always thought so, and that's another reason why I wrote what I did. **

**Just because Rose isn't going around crying all the time anymore like she used to doesn't mean in any way that there will be less drama. There still will be plenty of drama. I can promise you that for sure. And. Sure, she might cry once in a while but not like she did in chapters 1-4. **

**Anyway, I'm off to post this and watch Rose try to kill herself and have Jack stop her. REVIEW!!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey again, readers! **

**I planned to update earlier, but I worked yesterday and I went to basketball game with my friends on Friday night. And just now, I tore myself away from watching Titanic: 10****th**** Anniversary Edition so I could update for you and give you something new to read. **

**Every review keeps me going, so keep sending them! I was happily surprised by the number of reviews for these past few chapters, especially chapter 14, where, even in the midst of another horrible and awful tragedy entering her life, or perhaps even more **_**because**_** of that, Rose finds herself to be renewed. She finds she really can do this, just like she did the first time, with Jack. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you review! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Titanic or anything related to it. **

**______________**

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 15

"Hold tight", Jack commanded as he braced himself at the rail, trying to stay upright despite all the tilting and tilting. Rose nodded and clung to him, wrapping her arms around him as he hoisted her up as the ship continued to tilt and tilt. The suction was getting even stronger now, stronger than she'd ever felt it. Rose buried her head in Jack's chest, but glanced up to see the people around her. The ship was almost all the way up in the air now, so people were either hanging on to the railing with just their hands, the rest of their body suspended in the air, or were already flying back having lost their grip, doomed to a life underneath the sea. Rose shuddered and hoped to God it wouldn't come to that. She looked up at Jack, but said nothing.

"Let's move!" Jack said suddenly. And then Rose turned and saw why. Water was rushing, rushing, rushing flooding the deck all over. Jack grabbed Rose's hand and quickly pulled her along as he raced to the very edge. It was difficult moving against the grain of all the people going in the opposite direction. It was pure luck neither Jack nor Rose got smacked and sent flying back along with the others who had lost grip. Now, the couple was at the stern of the boat, the exact same position they'd been in on the first Titanic. The spot where they'd first met and the spot where they spent their few final moments on the first Titanic.

Now, Rose felt like everything inside of her was getting pulled as the suction increased. She clung even tighter to Jack, even though it felt like she was crushing him.

` "It's all right, Rose", Jack shouted over the hysteria and the large rumbling sound of the ship.

But it wasn't.

Just then, the ship cracked in half. It was a glorious split. The lights had gone out, so the entire ship was pitch black, and the crack of the two halves sounded like enough to split the entire world in two.

And all of the sudden, Rose felt herself and Jack plummet down, down, down with not a hope of seeing the surface again.

______________

**Oooh, Cliffy! I know you probably want to kill me right now, but don't worry. You'll just have to read the next chapter to see what happens next! **

**And…it was the stern of the boat where Jack and Rose the final minutes before the ship actually, officially went under, right? If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I just wanted to let you know I'm not entirely sure. **

**Question: I've been watching Titanic like crazy all week, ever night for hours. I've looked up deleted scenes, bought the few pieces of music from the score I didn't already have, and generally have been obsessed. That's led me to thinking about the younger Rose, the one who's not a mother yet and who's not so, so traumatized. The one who gets to live on afterward with Jack and try to be happy and so that brings me to my question: should I: A) start an entirely new Jack and Rose story, or B) continue with this one and insert the moments that I want using flashbacks. **

**I'd love to hear what you think!**

**REVIEW!!!!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, readers! **

**Well, ready to find out what happens?! Here you go! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Titanic or anything related to it. **

* * *

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 16

"Oh, God!" Rose shouted in terror as the ship now rose back up again, rumbling and groaning. Good God, it was like they were on some dangerous, terrifying, fatal roller coaster or something. Which, if you thought about it, wasn't that far off the mark. First up, up, up in the air, then down, down, down, and now up again! Would it ever end? Would she and Jack even make it out alive?

"We're gonna make it, Rose", Jack said, as if reading her mind. She felt like throwing her arms around him and clinging for dear life, but Rose merely nodded numbly.

Rose knew they were nearing the end now. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not. She didn't want to feel that icy cold water. She didn't want to see dead bodies floating around them. She didn't want to hear officers calling for any survivors. She didn't want any of it.

Her hair hung wet and stringy now on the sides of her face as she and Jack looked down into the frigid North Atlantic.

Jack climbed over the rail and then grabbed Rose's hand and said, "Do you trust me?"

"I trust you", Rose said shakily, feeling like she could burst into tears at any moment. But, she didn't even bat an eyelash as she let Jack help her over the rail or even as he put his hand on her back to steady her.

"This is it!" Jack shouted over the roar of the ship and all the people screaming and shouting. "Now, like before, kick for the surface as hard as you can and keep kicking. Do not ever, ever, ever let go of my hand."

Rose nodded numbly again as the water swelled beneath them. At that point, the ship seemed to fall faster and faster into the icy North Atlantic.

"Take a deep breath when I say", Jack shouted. After a few seconds, he started counting. "Three…two…one…now!" Rose and Jack both took deep, deep breaths. Rose closed her eyes tightly and clutched Jack's hand with all she had in her. She felt dizzy with panic and dread. She gulped. This was it, she decided. But also, the end.

________________

In the lifeboats, chaos was threatening to erupt, though everyone tried to pretend it wasn't happening at all. Annie tugged on Elizabeth's dress sleeve.

"Lizzie, what's happening?' Her sister's face was so pale with fright that Elizabeth wanted to cry.

"It's all right, Annie", Elizabeth said calmly. She didn't want to scare her sister with what was really happening: The ship was sinking. Jack and Rose had to stay together in order to merely survive. And if they didn't…Elizabeth tried very, very hard not to think about that.

She was scared, too, but she couldn't show her sister that. Instead, Elizabeth gulped back her fear. It landed in her stomach where it grew into an increasingly tight knot that made her feel sick. Her palms grew sweaty. She wiped them on her skirt nervously. She shivered.

Annie snuggled close to her sister and looked up expectantly.

"Hey", Elizabeth said, to change the subject, "wanna see my new sketch?" Annie nodded and Elizabeth took a folded piece of paper out of her coat pocket. She unfolded it so Annie could see it.

"Oh, wow, Lizzie", Annie said, looking down at the picture of Jack and Rose kissing at the bow. It was simple, but nicely done. Elizabeth smiled secretly to herself.

Just then, the boat began to sway as it started moving. An officer rowed and rowed several feet away until, consequently, the boat was in a perfect position to see the entire debacle.

Elizabeth did not like this. She saw her sister look quickly away. She wanted to look away, too, but something kept pulling at her, telling her to keep watching.

So she did.

* * *

**While, I wrote, I listened to "A Building Panic." I loved the climactic swell of the vocals from 4:00 minutes to about 6:00. It's incredible. Just thought you'd like to know. **

**I hope that wasn't too confusing of a chapter. **

**REVIEW!!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, hey! **

**Thanks so, so, so much for the great reviews for chapter 16! I'm listening to "A Building Panic" again as I type this on my laptop, sitting at the kitchen table. School's closed today, so I have all day to update and update. I hope you guys like this chapter. I hope it's OK that I added Elizabeth's POV to the story, besides just Jack and Rose's. Enjoy chapter 17 and REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic or anything related to it. **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 17

Elizabeth was horrified.

She saw two people on the railing. She looked and thought, looked and thought, trying to see beyond the blackness now that the ship's lights had gone out. She knew those people. She did! They looked so unbelievably familiar that Elizabeth didn't know what to do. She looked and thought some more.

Jack and Rose.

Mommy and Daddy!

She felt like crying.

"Daddy!" She screamed. Tears welled n her eyes. She did not want to cry.

She did love Rose, she did.

It just took a tragedy like this for her to realize it.

"Mommy!" She screamed now in near hysteria.

She knew it was stupid to yell and scream for your mommy and daddy. She knew that, but it didn't matter to her. It had never had mattered to her.

"Daddy! Daddy, please! Answer me!" Elizabeth was crying now. Sobbing, actually. Annie looked extremely worried. Elizabeth didn't blame her. Even _she _was worried. About herself. _How weird is that_, Elizabeth thought to herself.

She sat carefully back in her seat, after having stood up to scream and scream. Annie silently handed the drawing back to Elizabeth. She clutched it, hoping desperately that her mother forgave her, and also hoping her mother loved her.

* * *

The water was cold, alright. Rose's system had gone into shock the second her body touched it. "Jack!" She screamed desperately. "Jack!" From faraway, she heard a voice scream, "Daddy!"

Elizabeth.

"Jack", she screamed even more desperately. Knowing that her daughters were still out there, alive, made Rose all the more willing to fight.

She had come to the surface alone, just like the last time. And, just like last time, a hysterical passenger had used her to try to stay afloat.

"No!" She yelled in protest as the woman pushed her head down into the water and held it there. "No!" But, unlike last time, she didn't have Jack to save her. She fought and fought and finally punched the woman so she couldn't bother her anymore and went to look for Jack. She wanted him more than anything.

Her breath made white fogs. Her hair was slicked back, water on her neck. She was freezing. She screamed and yelled Jack's name until he finally found her.

"Oh, thank God! Rose!" Jack yelled and swam over to her. "C'mon, Rose", he said now. "Keep swimmmin'." They swam until they found a vacant table top. "Get on it, Rose", Jack said now.

"No", Rose said, shivering. "I'm not letting you freeze again. You go on the table. I'll hang on."

"No, Rose. No", Jack said. "I can't risk losing you and I'm not going to." Just then, she spied a lone piece of driftwood, that had once probably been part of a corridor or wall, and Jack hopped on that. It wasn't big enough to fit his entire body, but he at least got his upper body out of the water, saving him from another case of hypothermia.

"Oh, God", she said to the night sky. "Oh, God." Rose shivered. The cold wrecked her breathing. Her whole body shook with exhaustion and cold. She felt like screaming.

This wasn't supposed to happen!

She wasn't supposed to be there!

Why did she have to go through it all again?

She looked at Jack. He smiled weakly at her. She gripped his hand tightly.

"We made it, Rose", he said. "We made it."

* * *

**Hey, Loli-Pop, I hope you enjoyed Titanic! I'm going to go watch the part where Jack and Rose try to escape with the 3****rd**** class people, but they can't get through because the gates are locked. Jack glances back at Rose and she sighs and then Jack just goes mad with fury, ramming the gate and swearing. I'd like to think he does that because when he looked back at Rose, he couldn't bear the thought of her not living. Then, he and Tommy Ryan and Fabrizio tear the bench out of the wall and ram it into the gate twice, breaking it. I love that part because I love when Jack looks back at Rose and I love the look she gives him and I love his reaction to that look. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**REVIEW!!!**

le. She did! They looked so un


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, readers!**

**Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys must really love this story and for that I'm glad. **

**Also, there are two other really, really good Titanic FanFics you should check out if you want. One of them is called "A Love That Never Fades", by DawsonGurl, and another is called "Rose's Story", by JustEs. "Rose's Story" re-caps events in Rose's POV, and it's extremely well written with very correct dialogue. "A Love That Never Fades" is really, really good, too. I discovered that one first, about two years ago and just loved it. It's a little sappy at times, but really good for any Titanic fan. Anyway, I just thought you'd like to know. If you've got any really good stories you really liked, post it in a review and I'll check them, OK? **

**I love Rose's butterfly hair comb she wears, and I found a pretty good replica one at the Branson Titanic store for $30.00, just so you know. **

**Also, I found a great site where you can have dresses made that look exactly like the ones Rose wears in the movie. I'd be happy to give more info on that if anyone is interested. I've been living and breathing Titanic for the past week and a a day, so that's why I'm coming up with all of this! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Titanic or anything related to it. **

**Finally, onto the chapter! Enjoy! **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 18

A little after four A.M., the boat, one boat, came back.

"Take her first", Jack insisted weakly. The men gently lifted Rose off the door and into the lifeboat. They covered her with blankets and tried to keep her warm.

"Jack", she said hoarsely. "Jack?"

"I'm here, Rose", Jack said softly. She turned to see him lying beside her wrapped in blankets of his own. When he saw her still shivering, he lifted two of his blankets off of himself and laid them on top of her. She tried to say thanks, but nothing came out. Her throat was too clogged with emotion to speak.

A while later, she was still shivering with cold, so Jack unwrapped his blankets and let Rose join him underneath them. Now, snuggling into each other, they both grew warm. Jack put his arms around Rose, vowing never, ever, ever to get that close to losing Rose ever again and then he turned to look up at the sky while Rose slept. He saw stars and remembered seeing them the night he first made actual contact with her. The night she tried to jump ship and kill herself.

He could still see that night so, so clearly in his head. He could still see the look of annoyance in her face when she said, "what do you mean, no I won't? Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You don't know me", in her snotty rich-girl voice and he could still see the look of hesitation in her eyes when he told her about how cold the water was. He knew she was thinking, _cold? I never thought of the cold_. He could still remember what if felt like to have her in his arms, even if it was only for a few seconds when he pulled over the rail and back to safety.

He remembered talking with her on the boat deck the next day, after the jumping accident, and how she'd insulted him, but how he'd been so happy to be with her, he hadn't cared one bit. He remembered teaching her how to spit like a man and smiled to himself at the memory.

Jack could even remember the day before that when he'd first seen her, up above at the rail, where she had left the tea. He remembered how pretty her fiery red hair looked piled on top of her head and how she looked out at the sea as if she was strongly displeased with something, which he later found out to be her whole world and all the people in it and the inertia of her life.

Jack then thought about kissing her at the bow, teaching her to "Fly" and telling her she would die living her old life.

"They've got you trapped, Rose", Jack had said. "And if you don't break free, you're gonna die. Maybe not right away because you're strong, but someday, that fire that I love about you, Rose, that fire's gonna burn out." He remembered the feel of her cool cheek and how she had said, "it's not up to you to save me, Jack", in a voice that made him want to cry.

He remembered drawing her as one of his French girls, running away from Love Joy, taking her to the stars, and feeling as though he'd never met anyone so perfect and wholesome, never anyone so strong and spirited and so like him in his entire life. He knew right then in his heart that he wanted to marry her and make a life with her, and he had decided to do just that when the ship docked in New York.

Jack looked over at Rose now, feeling something so sad and sweet that made his heart hurt. He leaned over and kissed Rose softly and gently on her forehead. The officer at the head of the boat noticed and asked quietly, "she your wife?"

"Yeah", Jack said. "We've already gone through this once, so I don't know why I'm worrying like this. It just scares the heck out of me to see her this close to danger again. Titanic wrecked her life. And only now, on this doomed ship, did she seem to get her old spark back."

"You're lucky, son", the officer said quietly. "My father died on the first Titanic. I was only 15 at the time." Jack stiffened. He'd been 15 too, when his own parents had perished. "But", the officer continued. "I wanted to do this to pay honor to him. When the ship was announced sinking, I was almost happy, thinking that maybe I had a chance to pay even more honor to him, and possibly end up in that happy place with him, too."

"I'm glad you didn't", Jack said. "You have way too much to give to the world before that."

"Many thanks, son", the man said gruffly. "I'd think the same about your wife there. I'm glad she's alright."

"Me too", Jack said, glancing down at Rose and smiling softly. "Me too."

___________________

**Awwww! That's the first thought I had when I finished the chapter. The part with the officer was written on a whim. I hoped you liked it! **

**REVIEW!!!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey again, readers! **

**I loved the reviews from you guys for chapter 18! I especially loved Loli-pop's. I do agree with you about the time they were walking the deck and talking. I loved how she said, "Wait, I shouldn't have to leave. This is **_**my**_** part of the ship. You leave!" Too funny! Also, yes, the flying scene is the most memorable in all of film history. I love it! And, don't worry, a parents-daughters reunion is soon to be. **

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! REVIEW!!!**

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 19

No one slept.

The rocking of the lifeboat kept Elizabeth awake. She wanted to be with Jack. She needed him. She wanted to run into his big, strong arms and cry.

She wanted to be with Rose, too.

She knew she did. But did Rose? Did she?

She tried very hard not to cry.

Elizabeth knew she'd messed up. She knew she'd been hostile and mean and awful. She'd made her mother cry. She'd made her father angry. She'd made her sister worried. She hated all that she did. She hated all that she said. She hated what she felt. She hated what she heard. She hated all of it.

Elizabeth glanced down at her sister. Annie was still awake, but resting her head against Elizabeth's arm. She hadn't said anything in over two hours. Elizabeth then looked around the quiet lifeboat and saw women ranging from babies to elderly ladies. Elizabeth then laid her head on Annie's shoulder. Big, sloppy tears rolled down her cheeks and into her sister's hair. She hoped that was OK. And even if it wasn't, she decided, she would've done it anyway.

* * *

There they were. On the boat. The Tiffany, actually.

Rose and Jack were still nestled in their pile of blankets. It was daybreak now. Jack had fallen asleep after his somber talk with the officer, his arms wrapped tightly around Rose. Now, his eyelids fluttered open and he just lay there, looking down at Rose and at the others in the boat.

He wondered how long she would sleep for, if that was normal, or if there was something wrong with her. Being how she had been for the past years, and knowing that that state was obviously "wrong", he had come to worry about her a lot more than he probably should have. But even so, he worried about her, unconsciously sometimes. Even when her voice sounded a bit off, he'd automatically assume something was wrong. He hoped this new, seemingly renewed Rose would snap at him and shout, "No! There is nothing wrong with me! Stop worrying!" so that he really could convince himself that the old Rose was back and that he really could stop worrying. But, stopping the worry about Rose was impossible. He would always worry, even if nothing was wrong and they were perfectly happy together. Even then, the worry would continue. But that was fine with Jack. As he looked down at his sleeping wife, he couldn't help but feel happy that she had her old spirit back. He just knew she did. He hoped that now, finally, she would stay that way, that she would be Ok forever and ever and ever.

* * *

_Where _were_ they?_, Elizabeth wondered. Even still in the lifeboat, she couldn't help but feel like she had lost track of time and was desperately behind and slow. All this sitting was making her slow. All this waiting was making her slow. Everything was making Elizabeth feel slow and sluggish and stupid. Stupid about everything, but especially stupid enough to think her parents had actually made it. She hadn't seen a glimpse of them when everyone surfaced after the ship officially sank and was underneath the sea. She hadn't even heard them calling to each other like she thought she would have. Little did she know that that was simply because she'd been too far away. Too far away to hear, but not too far away to see, but it just so happens she hadn't seen them either. Even in the pitch black darkness of night, Elizabeth felt as though she should've seen them, like she was doing a disservice to them and to herself that she hadn't seen them and hadn't yet convinced herself that they were really all right.

Elizabeth then shook Annie awake. She'd been dozing in and out of sleep and was still resting her head against her sister's arm.

"Annie?" Elizabeth gently shook her sister. "Annie?"

"Lizzie?" Annie mumbled sleepily. Her eyes opened and she began to awaken. "What's wrong?" Dawn's pink fingers were just beginning to stretch across the sky now, spraying a colorful blend of pink, orange, purple, and blue into the air. Annie rubbed her eyes.

"Nothing's wrong. I just need to know where Mother and Daddy are."

"They're waiting", Annie replied mater-of-factly.

"Maybe", Elizabeth murmured to herself.

"They'll be waiting", Annie said.

"How do you know?" Elizabeth realized only after she said it that she was relying on the assurance of a 13-year-old who still thought her parents were actually alive after a massive ship just sank into the North Atlantic. She wanted to club herself over the head for saying it, but it was too late now. The question was out.

"They said it themselves. Mother and Daddy wouldn't lie to us…would they/"

"No, no, of course not." Elizabeth couldn't think right then of her parents being anything less than perfect. Anything less than all right.

Suddenly, a ship came into view, with the name "Tiffany" stretched across the bow.

"The ship!" someone shrieked. Elizabeth and Annie smiled at each other. Finally, hopefully, the family would be together again. Finally, hopefully, they would be reunited. Finally. And hopefully, too.


	20. Chapter 20

**I tore myself away from "The Impossible Wish" to update! It really is a good story. Thanks again for the great reviews!**

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 20

"Tea, Miss?" A woman handed Rose a cup of tea and one to Jack. She had brown hair, tied in a messy bun and celery-green eyes.

"Thank you", Rose said in a whisper. Jack put his arm around her comfortingly. He knew what she needed and she loved him for it.

"May I take your name please, love?" An officer asked.

"Dawson. Rose and Jack Dawson", Rose answered confidently. She glanced at her husband. The man scribbled down the names, tipped his hat, and left. Jack smiled at her softly. "We made it, didn't we?"

"We made it", Jack agreed, kissing her gently.

Rose looked out at the sea, letting the wind blow her tousled ruby red curls and didn't say anything. Jack's arm was still around her, but he let her be for a few minutes before he said, "Rose, are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, Jack", Rose said, looking seriously at him now. "You asked me 20 minutes ago. I really am OK. We just need to find the girls…"

"We will, Rosebud. We'll just keep waiting until the boats come. It should be any time now." Rose merely nodded. Then she paused before speaking again.

"Do you ever think about that night still, Jack?"

"Yes. The things I remember the most are you saving me and you jumping out of the lifeboat for me." That made Rose smile.

"We were pretty great that night, huh?"

"Yep", Jack said, smiling a little too. "_You_ were great that night, Rose."

"Aw", she said, blushing. "Thanks."

At that remark, Jack slid both arms around Rose and stood directly behind her, enveloping her. He rested his chin on the top of her head and they both looked out at the waves. After a while, Rose jumped a little and said, "Jack! Look!" Jack looked to where Rose was pointing and saw that the lifeboats were finally docking.

* * *

_Finally_, Elizabeth thought to herself. The Tiffany came into full view now. _Finally back with my family again._ "Annie, can you believe this?"

"Believe what?"

"Believe…this", Elizabeth said, not knowing quite what to say.

"It's pretty amazing, huh?"

"It is."

Finally, the lifeboat made it to the Tiffany and was docked. Elizabeth and Annie raced off the lifeboat in desperate search of their parents. Elizabeth longed to see Jack and to cry into his shirt and she longed to see Rose, too, and tell her everything she'd been keeping inside of her.

She needed to find them.

And she needed to find them now. Right now.

The sisters looked and looked. They searched and searched. They begged and begged. Finally, they ran into an officer.

"What's wrong, miss", the man asked. "Are you all right?"

"Not really", Elizabeth said, tears filling her eyes, like the great big baby she was.

"Won't you tell me what's wrong?" The officer asked gently.

"Well", Elizabeth said. "We're sisters, Annie and I, and we're trying to find our parents. Jack and Rose Dawson."

"Dawson?" The man repeated carefully. That rang a bell in his head. It most certainly did.

"Uh-huh." Elizabeth nodded her head as she spoke. "Did they even make it?"

"Yes", the officer said, sounding certain. "Let me take you to them."

And all the sudden, there they were.

"Daddy!" Elizabeth shouted, running and running to him. Jack swept her up in his arms and kissed her head a bunch of times.

"Oh, Lizzie, thank God", Jack said. He let go of Elizabeth to hug Annie, so Rose could hug Elizabeth. Before the waterworks started, Elizabeth turned and said proudly, "And this is the man who found you for us." Jack looked up to see the same officer he'd talked to the night before. They shared a secret smile and then the man left.

Jack hugged his daughters extra tight. _Thank God_, he kept thinking to himself. Thank God they were all right. Thank God Rose was all right. _Thank God for everything_, Jack thought to himself and then he hugged his daughters again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello, readers! **

**As always, thanks for the reviews for chapter 20. I'm glad everything's OK, too. Enjoy this chapter! **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 21

The family spent the next few days aboard the Tiffany. During that time, Elizabeth planned to talk to Rose, to finally see if her mother really and truly forgave her, or even just forgave her in general. She wasn't so sure how the whole thing would go, so Elizabeth was very nervous when the time came. She summed up her courage and went to her mother.

"Mother, may I speak to you?" Elizabeth felt shy all of the sudden and could hardly even look at Rose.

"Why, of course, Elizabeth", Rose said. She went back in the room for a minute and told Jack she was going out with Elizabeth and off they went.

When Rose suggested the deck, Elizabeth made no complaints, even though this was the exact spot on Titanic, the second, that Elizabeth had been so mean to her mother before. Elizabeth's throat was dry, so she couldn't have complained even if she wanted to. She wondered to herself just how was she going to have a meaningful conversation with her mother if she couldn't even speak one word? Rose sat down on a bench and Elizabeth joined her.

"So", Rose said, "what did you want to talk about, Lizzie?" She was calling her by a nickname. Jack's nickname, but a nickname nonetheless. That had to be a good sign.

"About--about us. Me and you." Elizabeth's hands were shaking so much she neatly folded them in her lap to make them stop.

"All right. Go on."

"I didn't know it, and even if I did, even if I had, I didn't care. I didn't see how much Titanic affected you…you and Daddy." The word "Titanic" made Rose wince inside, but that was nothing compared to how she normally would have reacted. There was no tears, no feelings of sickness or dread, nothing…nothing at all. Rose wasn't quite sure how to feel about that yet. But, she looked expectantly at her daughter, and silently urged her to continue.

"But…" Elizabeth was trying to choose her words carefully. She didn't want to make a wrong move. "But…after hearing your story…your wonderful, beautiful, yet horrifying and tragic story…I realized just how much you and Daddy love each other. Now I know. But then...then I--I got scared. I got scared that something like that would happen to me and I thought...I thought since Daddy had always said he saved you…he c-could save me, too." Tears squeezed into Elizabeth's eyes. She tried very hard not to cry. She didn't want to cry. Not now.

"Oh, Elizabeth", Rose breathed softly.

"And now…and now", Elizabeth said, starting to say her words in a rush, suddenly having a horrible thought, "I realized that you saved Daddy just like he saved you. I shouldn't be mad at you, Mother. I really, really shouldn't. I don't even know why I was."

"Oh, Lizzie", Rose breathed again. "It's OK."

"No, it's not! After you and Daddy went through something so awful…I shouldn't be mad just because I think Daddy is better than you. I know now that he isn't, that you're both great and wonderful and that you'd both be able to save me, and Annie, if anything ever happened to us. I shouldn't blame you for being how you are after Titanic…I just shouldn't. I just wanted you to be better, I wanted you to be my mother again and I…" Elizabeth's words started to trail, but she managed to say one last thing. "I just want you to be better, Mama, I want you to be OK." Elizabeth hadn't called Rose "Mama" since she was five years old. Now, she felt like a big, sappy baby, but at least she was an honest one.

Rose hugged Elizabeth tightly. When the two straightened up, Rose said, "Lizzie, I want myself to be better, too. And, I'm hoping now I will be. In the second sinking, something changed inside of me, something that was broken suddenly got fixed. I think I'll finally get over the horror of Titanic and finally be happy for real."

"_Really_?" Elizabeth was so happy about that, she threw her arms around her mother and hugged her tighter than she ever had.

"Really", Rose said, smiling the first true and genuine smile Elizabeth had ever seen her smile. She thought that this was the old Rose, the one on the first Titanic, the one who was brave and smart and quick. The one who refused to cry, the one who refused to give up, the one who finally found peace and happiness with Jack, the one who was finally free. And now, hopefully, she'd be free of Titanic's evil clutches forever, and only take away the good memories instead of all the bad.

It was not like Rose was in denial and was totally disconnected to the bad memories and horror of Titanic, but she wouldn't let them claim her entire life anymore.

"C'mon, Lizzie", Rose said. "Let's go back to Daddy."

* * *

While the pair was walking back, they ran into Annie and Jack, who were walking out on the deck. Rose smiled that genuine smile again at Jack, who returned it lovingly. Rose then threw herself into Jack's arms, but in a happy way.

"Oh, Jack", she said, feeling like she might burst out laughing from the pure happiness inside of her. "I think I'm finally free." He knew what she meant.

"I think you are, too, Rose", Jack said. "And that makes me happier than anything in the world."

"Me too", Elizabeth said, smiling. "It makes me happier than anything in the world, too." Jack smiled down at his daughter. He kissed her forehead and then turned back to Rose. He kissed her on the lips, as passionately as he ever had. They both had ended up smiling so much the kiss broke and they separated, laughing and laughing. They hugged and kissed some more and looked so, so happy.

Elizabeth smiled to herself. Today was the greatest day ever, if ever there were one. She was never so sure of anything as she was right then. Now, things would look up for the Dawson family and they could start new and fresh in Europe, without anything to bother them. No Cal, no money problems, nothing. They were, as Rose said, finally free.

* * *

**YAY!!! Yay for Rose and Elizabeth and Jack and Annie! Yay, yay, yay, everyone!!!**

**I smiled so much while I was writing this, my cheeks hurt. I felt like shouting, "I'm so happy for them!" I hope you guys feel the same way! **

**REVIEW!!!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, hey, readers! Happy Valentine's Day! **

**I found a super funny story called "Love and Ecstasy" by Insectlover. Chapter 3 is hilarious. My favorite parts are when Jack says, "doesn't exactly travel light, does she?" And when it talks about Cal not enjoying his flight. It just made me laugh so much because Jack and Rose, Helga and Fabrizio are so happy and Cal is so mad! I laughed and laughed, let me tell you! I just wanted to let you guys know so you could check it out if you wanted to. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Titanic. **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 22

The Dawson family spent their time on the Tiffany relaxing, just being with each other, after those terrible moments when they thought they never would be together again.

Elizabeth and Rose were good again, and the family had a very enjoyable time aboard the ship, despite what had happened.

Jack had thought that Rose might cry or scream out into the night, but she didn't. She only had one nightmare that went like this:

_Rose was being flung into the sea. Jack and the girls were nowhere near her. All of the sudden, looking up from where she was in the freezing cold ocean water, she saw that Jack and her daughters were still on the ship. Only she had been flung into the water. She saw Jack trying to reason with the officer about saving her. _

_ "I'm coming, Rose!" She heard him shout to her. She only nodded, too cold to do much else. Annie and Elizabeth were standing next to Jack, crying, and looking distressed. _

_ "I'll be right there!" Jack shouted again, a while later. His voice was muffled, her vision foggy. She couldn't see him, couldn't hear him. She only nodded again and waited. But, by the time Jack did reach her, she was already dead. Now, she could hear him perfectly, seeing as she was in spirit already, up in the sky. She-as-her-spirit watched as Jack held her limp body and cried and cried. She-as-her-spirit felt tears slid down her face, too, but she couldn't save him or be with him anymore. _

This time, Rose simply awoke, breathing hard. But, seeing as how he was used to waking up during the night from much more violent nightmares and outbursts, Jack woke up, too. Seeing her sitting up, looking panicked, he asked quietly, "Rosebud…are you all right? Did you have a nightmare?"

Rose didn't answer his question directly. She only said, "We're all together, right? Annie and Elizabeth…they're asleep in their rooms, all safe? All of us are safe?"

"Yes", Jack said gently, caressing Rose's cheek, even though there were no tears to wipe away. "We're all nice and safe. Do you feel safe? Do you feel all right enough to go back to sleep?"

"Yes", Rose answered, laying back down slowly. "Just…hold me, OK? Hold me so I won't go away."

Jack wasn't sure what his wife meant by that, but he just said, "Anything for you, my wonderful flower", and held on tight to her. He would've held her even if she hadn't asked. He liked to do it so he could keep her as safe as she could possibly be.

In the morning, neither he nor Rose said anything about the nightmare. They simply awoke, holding on tightly to one another and smiling at each other. Rose slipped out of bed, jumped into the shower, and then dressed. For that cool April day, she wore a pretty dress with gray, purple, and pink all in it. It was floor-sweeping, simple, yet very beautiful. She swept her hair up into a bun on the top of her head, put on minimal make-up, and was ready.

When she and Jack were both presentable, they stepped out onto the promenade deck and had tea.

"Beautiful morning", Jack said, looking out at the sunshine.

"It reminds me of being a little girl in England, riding horses with my father, feeling the sun on my back and hair and feeling so, so happy. I never spent a lot of time with just him, so those moments were really special."

"What it makes me think of is that Saturday we spent on the deck together. First, you insulted me and then you complimented me on my art."

"It was funny, wasn't it?" Rose said, smiling at him. "It took me time to warm-up to you, that's for sure."

"Don't I know it?" Jack said, and they both laughed.

"What's so funny?"

Jack and Rose turned to see Elizabeth and Annie standing and looking at them. Elizabeth wore a navy-blue dress and Annie work a pink one. It was Annie who had asked the question.

"Daddy and I were just talking about how we talked about art", Rose said.

"That was the day after Daddy saved you, right?"

"Right."

"And you insulted him?"

"Hey now", Rose said, laughing. "I complimented him, too."

"I know", Elizabeth said, smiling a shy smile. "I just think it's funny how you insulted him, but then ended up falling totally and completely in love with him."

"Life's funny, huh?" Jack said, putting his arm around Rose.

"Yeah", Elizabeth said. "Life's funny."

* * *

**A cute little filler chapter. I just wanted to show that Rose really is all right. No more awful, awful nightmares, no more screaming or crying out into the night. She may cry, if I want her to, but it will be nothing like how she was before. **

**This chapter was kind of lame, but I wanted to write and just wrote this on a whim. I hoped you liked it and had a nice Valentine's Day. My family and I saw The Blind Side. It was really, really good. **

**REVIEW!!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey again, readers! **

**I'm glad you liked Chapter 22! A lot of you said it was a nice, sweet, and romantic chapter, which it was. Thanks so much for reviewing and I hope you enjoy chapter 23! I'm listening to "Nearer my God to Thee", from Titanic. I love it because it's so romantic and beautiful. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Titanic **

Jack and Rose: Their Story

Chapter 23

The Tiffany docked in Ireland on the 18th of April and the Dawson family was relieved to be on land again. Suffice to say, they would not be getting on anymore ships for a while, if ever.

"Be careful, girls", Jack said as they stood waiting to get off the ship. "It'll take a bit for you to get your footing." Elizabeth and Annie nodded. When he looked at Rose, she nodded at him and smiled a soft smile.

When the staff onboard finally released the passengers, Jack was careful to put an arm around Rose. Even though she was better, he still had taken to that old habit of protecting her so delicately and gently that he couldn't help but do it again. But, Rose didn't look like she minded when he looked over at her. Annie grabbed onto Rose's hand and then reached for Elizabeth. Annie seemed to take great concern for where everyone was, if they were safe and all there. Jack smiled at that, thinking of how she was like Rose in that way.

Both of the girls wobbled and titled and fell over as they took their first few steps on land after days at sea, and endless hours sitting in the lifeboat. They both giggled at each other and Jack and Rose had to laugh at the sight.

"C'mon, you silly girls", Rose said, still laughing as she was helping Elizabeth and Annie up, ruffling their hair playfully. "Let's go see what Daddy has in store for us."

"What _I_ have in store for us?" Jack said, looking surprised. "Don't you have connections here, Rose?"

"Yes, but they're from a while ago, and besides they are from first-class life and I chose to discard that lifestyle a long time ago. Don't you have connections, my dear Jack?" Rose asked now. "With you being a big artist and all?"

Jack smirked and then said, "Some big artist. The last time I was here, I was traveling all over, living in Paris, doing portraits, after having been to England and Germany and Switzerland and Italy, where I met Fabrizio. No big connections. Just a lot of little ones."

Rose had to smile at that. Jack was still an adventurer and a drifter at heart and it was one of the things she'd come to love about him right from the start.

"Well, OK, where are we going, Daddy?" Elizabeth finally asked.

"Don't know", Jack said simply.

"What do you mean, you don't know!" Elizabeth shouted at him. Jack smiled at his daughter. This was so like the first-class Rose. She hadn't trusted him, either.

"C'mon, Lizzie", Rose said, taking her hand. "It'll be fun. You trust Daddy, right?"

"Of course. But—but—we can't just go off and be happy…after what happened….twice…" Rose's face clouded slightly. Jack saw that and took her hand back from Lizzie's. He wrapped an arm around her comfortingly. _This was it_, he thought to himself. _She's going to fall apart. _

But she didn't.

"Elizabeth, your mother—Jack started to stay sternly to his daughter, angry at her for bringing up a sore subject, especially when Rose was finally beginning to heal.

Rose cut him off.

"Lizzie, I know it seems like we're just going on and forgetting—

"We are", Elizabeth demanded hotly. "That's exactly what we're doing."

"But", Rose said, continuing, "we're really not. We can't help what happened this time anymore than we could the first time around. Trust me, guilt like that is not the kind you want to be carrying around. You're much too young for that."

Jack winced inwardly. Rose hadn't been but three years older than Elizabeth and _she_ had carried that guilt around for years and years. He felt a stab of anger at Titanic again and held Rose even tighter in his grasp.

"So…" Elizabeth said slowly. "It's OK to be happy?"

"Yes", Rose answered. And then she looked to Jack. "Right?"

"Right", Jack answered calmly, feeling so proud of Rose he wanted to pick her up and hug her. "We can all go on and be happy together."

And that's just what they would do. The family would be happy in Europe, all happy together.


End file.
